The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on Friday launched the Centre for Monitoring Cyber Security and Safety, and Information Operation, as part of the Vietnamese province’s digital government initiative.

The 16 billion dong ($690,000) centre will improve administrative reform and the quality of public services, and protect information safety and security in cyberspace, as well as contribute to the objectives of a digital government and smart city, as directed by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

The centre will continue to upgrade systems to provide information to meet the demand of data analysis and synthesis to help leaders make accurate and timely decisions related to economic and socio-cultural development.

The centre’s camera system will monitor and analyse images to help management agencies carry out measures to direct and operate traffic, and manage social order. It will also have monitoring systems for soil, water, air and noise.

The public can access the centre through a mobile application.

The centre will conduct research on smart cities, and apply big data and artificial intelligence in socio-economic forecasting.

Lam Van Sen, director of the provincial Department of Information and Communications, said: “The centre has three main functions of supervision, administration and synthesis, to serve people better and the operating demands of the city.”

The centre connects with the National Cyber Security Centre of Vietnam managed by the Ministry of Information and Communications to ensure information safety under the prime minister directive to discover inappropriate information on the internet.

The provincial Data Centre is managed by the local Department of Information and Communications. The total capital for infrastructure was more than 130 billion dong from the central and local budgets and private sector donations.

State offices in the province and districts have a website that provides information, including instructions from provincial leaders for the public and enterprises.

VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK