Haiphong to promote digital government for residents and businesses

The Business Registration Department at Haiphong Department of Planning and Investment was very empty because from January 1, 2021, all procedures have been done online

At its third session, the 16th Haiphong People's Council approved investing in its digital government building project in the 2021-2025 period. The project is invested by Haiphong Department of Information and Communications with an estimated total investment of more than VND308 billion ($13.4 million) from the city budget and other capital sources in the 2021-2024 period.

The project covers data centre development and the formation of cloud computing platforms for Haiphong’s state agencies as well as sharing databases and establishing an open data portal. It will also create a system to monitor, examine, and evaluate digital government. Other components will involve a digital identification system for individuals and businesses, an integrated data-sharing platform (Local Government Service Platform – LGSP), as well as service applications for digital platforms (mobile applications, websites, Zalo, and Facebook, among others).

The project aims to make 100 per cent of administrative procedures offered online at level 4; 100 per cent of city-level state administrative agencies participate and share open data for the development of digital government, digital economy, and society; register 100 per cent of individuals and businesses on all synchronised and integrated government systems from the central to local level.

This is one of the latest steps to concretise Resolution No.03-NQ/TU dated October 26, 2021 in Haiphong’s digital transformation by 2025, with orientation to 2030.

Director of Haiphong Department of Information and Communications Luong Hai Au shared: “Currently, we are requesting coordination from relevant sectors and units to build a digital platform and prepare our telecommunications infrastructure. These are the two basic factors that will create a foundation for the digital transformation process, serving the digital transformation activities of industries, agencies and units in the city.”

Since the beginning of 2021, Haiphong Department of Information and Communications and relevant departments and agencies have been upgrading the City Data Center and building a shared database in fields like e-commerce, education, transportation, agriculture, health, and banking and finance, among others. They have been also completing the implementation of the LGSP connected to the databases of the state and central ministries and sectoral agencies.

Thereby, connecting with the "one-stop" digital system and the city's online public service portal with the National Public Service Portal (NPSP) to offer 433 level 3 and 4 online public services. This promises to serve convenient and easy electronic transactions between individuals, businesses, and state agencies. In addition, the Department has also deployed an online payment platform on the NPSP, ready for the demand of fees and charges online payment, and non-cash payment applications.

In early July, the Department of Information and Communications and Viettel's Haiphong branch introduced the pilot model of the new Smart City Centre. The centre compiles and monitors data on the city's operational fields such as socio-economic development, public services, health information, and education, supporting the building of a smart city.

“Digital transformation not only helps increase productivity, reduce costs, but also opens up new development potentials, creating new values to pair with the city's traditional values. Digital transformation is a common mission for all businesses, regardless of industry or profession. Digital transformation is the chance for speedy business to seize the opportunity," said Deputy Chairman of Haiphong People's Committee Le Khac Nam.

In Resolution No.03-NQ/TU, Haiphong has set specific targets on digital economy and digital society. Accordingly, the digital economy will account for 20 per cent of the city's GRDP by 2025 and at least 10 per cent of each industry or field. Labour productivity will increase by at least 7 per cent annually.

To develop a digital society and narrow the digital gap, Haiphong's basic goal is to popularise 5G mobile network services in the central area and smart mobile phones by 2025, and to have over 50 per cent of the city's population have an electronic payment account.

Haiphong leaders visiting booths at the online exhibition on digital transformation in production and business on October 29

In 2020, Haiphong only ranked 21st in digital transformation

Foundations to build on

Before Resolution 03, in 2013, Haiphong issued a resolution on ICT development until 2020. On the basis of the resolution, the city's ICT infrastructure has received synchronous investment. At the end of the project, 100 per cent administrative procedures are provided online (33 per cent of which are at level 4); 90 per cent of documents are digitally signed and released in the network environment; 100 per cent of enterprises are paying taxes electronically; and 80 per cent of large-scale enterprises conduct e-commerce transactions.

On the PAR index, Haiphong's ranking has been constantly increasing. In 2020, the city ranked second and is one of only two localities achieving more than 90 per cent on the index. The Satisfaction Index for Public Administration Services (SIPAS) of the city reached 93.57 per cent, ranked second.

IT infrastructure became the focus of investment, modernly built with large capacity and speed, contributing to promoting the development of digital connection infrastructure. Currently, 100 per cent of state agencies have LAN and internet connection, and 100 per cent of civil servants are equipped with computers to work. 100 per cent of the residential areas of Haiphong city have been covered with 3G and 4G, meeting the service use needs of organisations and people.

Up to now, 100 per cent of agencies and units include 20 of 20 departments, divisions, and branches. 15 of the 15 district People's Committees, 217 of the 217 communes, wards, and townships already have a one-stop shop. A number of new innovative models are being implemented effectively such as the friendly one-stop shop model; one-stop digital shop.

As one of the three districts continuously maintaining high PAR results, Chairman of Ngo Quyen People's Committee Dinh Minh Tuan said: "In the first nine months of 2021, we have received 30,954 applications, including 3,120 online public service records at levels 3 and 4. We have been leveraging IT application in management, direction, and administration activities, equipping facilities and creating accounts on the NPSP for officials and civil servants involved in the certification of electronic copies.”

Haiphong Department of Planning and Investment, considered Haiphong’s powerhouse in digital transformation, the department has carried out online procedures for business registration, dissolution, and similar procedures since July 2020 for 100 per cent of enterprises. Business registration procedures have been shortened from three to 1.75 days, then 1.5 days. They are striving to reach only 24 hours.