Vietnamese give Gates pop star treatment

HANOI, Apr 22 (Reuters) Thousands of Vietnamese students climbed trees or pushed against barricades to give Microsoft founder Bill Gates a pop star's welcome in Hanoi today.

The world's richest man spent the day in the impoverished Southeast Asian country, which has the highest rate of fake software sold in the world, according to trade groups.

He signed an agreement with the Ministry of Finance to make it the first arm of the government to use licensed software in its systems. Vietnam wants to join the World Trade Organisation and will have to abide by intellectual property agreements.

''That licence is concrete proof of government commitment to strengthen the awareness and the activities around intellectual property,'' Gates said as his first trip to Vietnam ended with a visit to a rural village in Bac Ninh province 30 km east of the capital, Hanoi.

Thousands of residents of Tam Son commune of 11,000 people lined the dirt road in front of the community building that also houses a new post office. They clambered on walls and roofs to watch the Gates, dressed in a suit and tie, stroll in.

With annual per capita income of 0, few Vietnamese can afford software packages and pirated versions sell for a dollar.

In Tam Son commune, Microsoft, Vietnam Ministry of Post and Telematics and two of its sister companies announced a pay-by-instalment package costing 0 over 24 months to own a PC, software and Internet connection. A Microsoft spokeswoman said the packages were introduced to encourage the use of licensed software instead of copies.

ADULATION Gates, who is worth billion according to Forbes magazine, was greeted with a combination of adulation and curiosity during his encounters with the public at Hanoi University of Technology and in the countryside.

''I want to see the face of the Microsoft founder and the richest man and the most famous man in the world,'' said Nguyen The Vinh, 19, of Tam Son.

Today morning, about 7,000 students swarmed the campus to see Gates. They climbed trees and crowded onto balconies for a better view. Others pushed against security barricades.

Students inside the university auditorium gave Gates an ovation before he made a speech and answered their questions.

''I hope that one day I can be as successful as him,'' said one student, 19-year-old Nguyen Trung Dung.

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and President Tran Duc Luong took time away from the ruling Communist Party National Congress, the most important event on the political calendar, to welcome Gates.

The eight-day meeting ends on April 25.

Khai, after outlining Vietnam's 20-year-long reforms that took it from a centrally planned economy to one driven by markets, told Gates: ''I'm ready to listen to your advice.'' REUTERS SRS PM1846