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n the implementation of Decision 49/ CP dated August 4, 1993 by the Government on the development of information technology, Lam Dong has gained remarkable achievements in the application of computers into state management and socio-economic activities. For instance, there are now over 500 computers linked with Internet. Local area networks in offices are working effectively; administrative networks have been interconnected from the province to all the departments and localities. The networks of the important services

such as Tax, Bank, Post, Electricity, Statistics, Science and Technology, Finance, Newspaper, also have the interconnection with their central and local offices. Lam Dong Intranet was set up in 2000 under the name ? Lam Dong Net ?. Several computing organizations have been formed in the recent years of which Dalat Technique Company is the first to produce software. In 1998 the Lam Dong Informatics Association was founded, marking the appearance of a new profession in the province 's industrialization and modernization.

These are modest but fundamental for the planning of an information technology strategy in Lam Dong in the first decade of the 21st century.

The Government has lately issued a resolution on the development of the software technology in the period 2000-2005, affirming:

- Software technology is an important industry of the information technology, including software production and provision of software service. The government pays special attention to this field to take a short cut in the nation 's industrialization and modernization.

In workshops on information technology, central scientists and local information circles had a common view on Lam Dong 's potentials in the development of information technology. A scientist put forward an audacious idea: Dalat-Lam Dong can follow the way of The Silicon Valley in California, the Silicon Valley in Bangalore (India), The Silicon Grasslands in Texas, the Scientific Park Asinchu in

Taiwan, or theSuper Multimedia Corridor in Malaysia.

That idea allows us to think of The Dalat Silicon Valley or the Lam Dong Silicon Highlands in the coming decades because:

- Lam Dong is not far from the pivotal industrial zone of HCM City-Dong Nai. The distance of 300 km is not out of the reach of information technology.

- Developing information and software technology is suited to the urban planning of Dalat as a centre of resort, scientific research, culture and education.

- Dalat-Lam Dong attracts a big workforce from Central Vietnam and even from the industrial zones of Dong Nai and HCM City thanks to good weather , spectacular scenery, and ideal conditions of work for intellectual labour.

Instead of all-year-round production in crowded cities, software production in Dalat can be arranged in half or a quarter of the time so that technicians and investors can have much time for relaxation.

- The systems of high schools, colleges, university, vocational schools, and scientific research institutes can provide thousands of technicians and programmers.

- Dalat-Lam Dong 's infrastructure is being developed for industrialization and modernization. The Power Service and the Post Office essential to information technology rank in the top ten of the country, even higher than some other provinces. In 2000 Lam Dong Post Office

had an international gate after those of Hanoi, HCM City and Da Nang.

There are, nevertheless, a lot of difficulties. The biggest one is how to attract domestic and foreign investment in the field of information technology in Dalat-Lam Dong, and how to convince investors of the success. Then the government and local authorities have to affirm the strategy for information technology with precise goals, and at the same time, to devise a system of integrated policies serving those goals.. These are Lam Dong 's internal force; it must be strong enough to attract external force to create total force.

The aim of Vietnam 's software technology in 2005 is to make a value of product 500-800 million dollars per year (2/3 is domestic consumption, and 1/3 for export with a high rate of growth). The number of people working in this field (software experts, managers, marketing workers, and salespeople) will be 30,000-40,000, each making a value of 5,000- 20,000 dollars.

If 2% of that value of product is for Lam Dong, 10 million dollars of software products in Lam Dong in 2005 will be an ideal figure. Then Lam Dong will have about 600 people working in this field ,of which 150 are software makers.

Besides, we can see the possibility of electronic component production. The condition of Dalat 's environment is excellent for chip production. Investors will certainly be interested in that factor.

The following are some matters of concern:

- Drawing out a strategy for Lam Dong 's information and software technology until 2003 and 2010 with reference to HCM City 's software development.

- Planning a project to develop the related services such as Science and Technology, Electricity, Post, Bank, central and local vocational training.

- Combining the local strategy with each service 's strategy for information technology to create a consistency in territorial development.

- Investing in the upgrade of telecommunication networks and building a gate directly linked with the world in Dalat.

- Issuing open policies to attract investment in software technology (concerning tax, land rent, facilities, etc.).

Below are some solutions:

- Choosing a few information technology companies as the core in investment (for example, Dalat Technique Company).

- Choosing the premises for software industry.

"Nowadays information technology is the measure of a nation 's development," said Craig Barett, Intel 's President cum General Director, "In study, the Vietnamese seem to give way to nobody."

Dalat-Lam Dong has had that precious virtue. Therefore, the right selection of a spearhead technology will be a breakthrough, bringing Lam Dong up to a new position in the nation 's development. 

                      TRUONG TRO

Vice Director of Lam Dong Department of Science, Technology and Environment

Deputy Head of Lam Dong ' s Board of Information Technology

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