Ho Chi Minh City aims for the digital economy to account for 30% of its GRDP this year.
Ho Chi Minh City aims for the digital economy to reach 30% or more of its GRDP this year, with a value-added ratio of 15%.
This is the goal outlined in the Plan for Promoting Digital Economic Development in 2026, recently issued by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. The economic powerhouse expects the digital economy to gradually become the main driving force for growth in the coming period.
Besides the target in terms of scale, the locality aims for the proportion of digital economy added value in GRDP to reach 15%, up from 13.43% by 2025.
The contribution of the digital economy is measured by the General Statistics Office using the indicator "the proportion of value added by the digital economy" in the national GDP or local GRDP, including the contribution of "core digital economic sectors" and the digitalization of other sectors.
The core digital economy comprises seven sectors: electronics manufacturing, computers, and optical products; wholesale of computers, equipment, and software; wholesale of electronic and telecommunications equipment and components; software publishing; telecommunications; programming; data processing and portals; and computer and communication equipment repair.
According to the General Statistics Office, the proportion of added value from Ho Chi Minh City's digital economy is gradually improving, from 11.07% of GRDP in 2021 to 13.42% in 2025, but it is still lower than Hanoi (17.34%) and Hai Phong (22.28%) among centrally-governed cities.
Overall, among the 34 provinces and cities, four localities had a digital economy share exceeding 20% of their GRDP last year: Bac Ninh (46.30%), Thai Nguyen (29.53%), Hai Phong (22.28%), and Phu Tho (22.71%), which are major electronics manufacturing centers.
Semiconductor Laboratory, Research and Development Center, Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park, December 2024. Photo: Quynh Tran
To achieve the goal of developing the digital economy, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee plans to promote the application of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation in key economic sectors such as high-tech industry, logistics, and e-commerce.
Specifically, the goals include achieving 95% 5G coverage, e-commerce accounting for at least 13.4% of total retail sales, 93% of seaports applying digital platforms, and increasing the percentage of businesses and factories using smart manufacturing systems.
The city government will focus on improving institutions, developing digital infrastructure, promoting a multi-sectoral digital economy, training high-quality human resources, and building an innovation ecosystem. The city also encourages public-private partnerships, attracts investment, and strengthens domestic and international linkages.
Vien Thong,
According to Vnexpress.