Lesson 2: Removing bottlenecks, igniting aspirations

Resolution No. 57 has created a powerful impetus, opening up vast development space for Vietnam to move towards the goal of becoming a modern, prosperous, people-centered digital nation.

Resolution No. 57 - a catalyst for the digital nation. (Photo: DANG PHI)

Resolution No. 57 has created a powerful impetus, opening up vast development opportunities for Vietnam to strive towards becoming a modern, prosperous, and people-centered digital nation. However, we need to clearly identify the challenges, resolutely remove bottlenecks, and unleash the will to break through in order to fully seize the opportunities of the digital age.

The knots that need to be untangled.

Resolution No. 66 marked a fundamental innovation in the method of lawmaking, making the process of lawmaking and law enforcement faster, higher quality, more consistent, and easier to understand. However, the delays in some policies still pose obstacles in the implementation of Resolution No. 57...

Some scientists and technology experts shared their views: On October 14, 2025, the Government issued six decrees detailing the Law on Science, Technology, and Innovation. However, for the law to truly be put into practice, relevant entities are still waiting for further implementation guidelines. If this situation is not rectified, the groundbreaking spirit of Resolution No. 57 will easily be delayed. Therefore, the central task is not only to enact laws but also to ensure that the laws are implemented on time and are feasible from the moment they come into effect. Specific regulations are needed regarding the deadlines for agencies, ministries, and sectors to issue guiding documents after the laws are passed, and responsibilities should be clearly defined if delays occur.

Responding to practical realities, the Central Steering Committee on Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation (the Steering Committee) has promoted a shift from passive management to proactive support, requiring the Ministry of Justice to review legal documents and clarify the progress and responsibilities of each ministry and sector. An inter-ministerial working group and a support hotline have been established to specifically identify obstacles and promptly address difficulties.

The Viditec team presented their Vidas solution (Comprehensive Digitalization and Information Management Solution) at the Data for Life 2025 competition.

In the development of science and technology, intellectual property protection is recognized as playing a particularly important role. However, the application review process has long been complex, costly, and time-consuming. On average, granting a patent takes 44 months, 2.4 times longer than the previous 21 months. The National Assembly has just passed the amended Law on Intellectual Property. This not only expands the development of the intellectual property ecosystem, perfects the protection mechanism, and adapts to the explosion of AI, but also provides a basis for us to set the goal: Vietnam will become the fastest, most accurate, and cheapest place to recognize intellectual property. The path forward that Vietnam has identified is to strongly promote digital transformation in intellectual property work.

Furthermore, the close guidance of the Steering Committee in reviewing the legal system regarding credit institutions to resolve obstacles related to ownership rights and the mechanism of mortgaging intellectual property is a decisive step in transforming intellectual property into a true resource of the economy.

Financial constraints also pose a significant obstacle. As of mid-Q4 2025, the overall disbursement rate had only reached 62%, indicating a slow pace and a lack of focused allocation. The Steering Committee frankly acknowledged that coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Science and Technology needs to be more seamless. Slow disbursement is quite common in localities. Despite being a leading city in the country, Hanoi has consistently had a low disbursement rate in the science and technology sector for many years.

The reasons for slow disbursement are attributed to cumbersome and lengthy procedures, and in some places, a lack of detailed guidance, causing many technology projects to become outdated before they become operational. Economic experts believe that slow disbursement is also due to a mismatch between proposed ideas and implementation capacity, resulting in no work being completed to justify payments.

To end this situation, a comprehensive change in state budget management is required, ensuring the principle of "assigning tasks must include allocating funds." State budget allocation should be based on a top-down ordering system, prioritizing strategic technology research and development tasks to overcome the current fragmented and unfocused approach. The current fund management mechanisms also need to be restructured to resemble venture capital funds, allowing specialized fund managers greater autonomy in evaluating, investing, and accepting risks.

VNPT Technology's team of young engineers researches and develops technology products and solutions. (Photo: MY HA)

Awakening the aspiration for greatness and power.

Since July 1, 2025, the two-tiered local government model has been uniformly implemented nationwide, and its initial operation has been largely stable. However, in reality, many localities still reveal shortcomings in the information technology infrastructure at the commune and ward levels.

In Hanoi, by the end of November, it was noted that some agencies still lacked sufficient high-configuration computers to support digital transformation tasks, directly impacting the progress of deploying new software and digital platforms. The gap between urban and rural areas is also evident, with unstable internet access in many rural and mountainous regions. Human resources responsible for digital transformation at the commune and ward levels are insufficient and unevenly distributed. In Gia Lai province, by the end of August, 121 out of 135 communes and wards had not yet assigned dedicated information technology officers.

Digital data is the "lifeblood" of the digital economy, but Vietnam has not yet effectively exploited this resource. The national database system remains fragmented. Aside from the national population database project, which is progressing and operational, most other big data projects are still under construction and development, indicating a failure to meet set targets. Hanoi recently named several units that are lagging behind in opening up sectoral data.

To address the aforementioned situation, a shift in mindset is needed, from management to service, from "possession" to "sharing and connecting." The government requires all units to focus on completing their databases by 2025, with the spirit of "Accurate, Complete, Clean, Viable, Unified, and Shared Use." In Hanoi, Politburo member and Party Secretary Nguyen Duy Ngoc directed: The practice of hoarding and controlling data, treating common property as private, must be abandoned. Data is a common asset. Data hoarding is contrary to the spirit of Resolution No. 57...

Inadequate infrastructure, disconnected data, and insufficient human resources, coupled with immense pressure to process documents on the system, have led to an overload of grassroots officials. According to reports, in just four months, one ward in a central Vietnamese city had to process nearly 7,000 incoming documents. This is because while the central and city levels have numerous software applications, their functions primarily focus on document routing and deadlines, lacking tools for analyzing and evaluating processing times and workloads to match implementation capacity.

Although all 34 provincial-level localities have published lists of administrative procedures that can be implemented across administrative boundaries, the number of localities that have published 100% of these procedures is still low. The low rate of completely online application processing reflects the reluctance of some citizens to submit applications online. This reflects a crucial weakness for the success of digital transformation: the significant digital capacity gap between different beneficiary groups.

Training and research activities at the Nuclear Training Center (Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute). (Photo: BAO LONG)

A representative from a commune in a province in the Central Highlands shared: Many elderly people are unfamiliar with technology and do not understand the procedures, leading to their inability to independently access online public services. Local officials are forced to do it for them, further increasing workload pressure as the volume of processing increases. Regarding the principle of personal data security, the use of citizens' accounts by officials also poses potential risks.

Improving institutions is a prerequisite, but the decisive factor for success is spreading the aspiration to develop Vietnam into a digital nation, deeply ingrained in the awareness and actions of every individual and organization. Even the most perfect legal system will struggle to be effective if those implementing it lack the motivation to contribute. Operating a new mechanism requires time and strong political will from everyone.

Therefore, the desire for change must be great and strong, similar to the desire for independence and freedom that fueled the will of our entire nation and army, leading to the victory of the August Revolution in 1945, when our Party had only about five thousand members. Today, with millions of Party members, the country has a much more solid foundation to inspire and spread the spirit of dedication, and to vigorously and effectively implement the "Digital Literacy Program," aiming towards the goal of successfully building a digital nation.

The aspiration for a digital nation should not be limited to the public sector, but must strongly extend to the private sector, building a sense of national responsibility in all organizations, especially businesses. Vietnam needs to learn from international experience in building large-scale, successful businesses by fostering national spirit and responsibility towards the nation.

After a year of implementation, Resolution No. 57 has gradually shaped a new development architecture for the country. Besides the key elements outlined above, there are many other strategic aspects that require deeper attention to ensure the rapid and sustainable development of the nation.

The starting point and destination of a digital nation is its people. Developing digital skills so that each citizen truly becomes a digital citizen is a core factor determining the speed of digital transformation. The model for delivering public services must be organized in a way that puts the needs of the people at the center. Solutions include: popularizing basic digital skills, designing simple and accessible public services, integrating tools to reduce language barriers, and establishing and expanding community-based digital technology groups. To overcome infrastructure barriers, it is necessary to accelerate 5G coverage towards 100% nationwide and encourage the production of affordable smartphones to address the shortage of essential technology devices for the people.

After a year of implementation, Resolution No. 57 has gradually shaped a new development architecture for the country. Besides the key elements outlined above, there are many other strategic aspects that require deeper attention to ensure the country's rapid and sustainable development. Some argue that Vietnam needs to carefully consider its capabilities when developing artificial intelligence (AI), with the most appropriate strategy focusing on applications and leveraging the power of AI to promote advantageous sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and public services, in order to create real value for the economy. Businesses should not chase after "all-purpose" platforms, but should choose specific segments and problems to create differentiation.

Furthermore, attention should be paid to energy issues for AI, prioritizing investment in advantageous sectors such as biotechnology and microbial technology, as well as long-term strategic issues such as ensuring ethical standards in AI development, cybersecurity, the development of basic science, and foundational technologies that are decisive in changing the world, such as quantum cryptography and materials science.

The practical challenges we face demand greater effort, stronger action, unwavering commitment to strategic goals, and the continuous cultivation and dissemination of the aspiration for participation, contribution, and benefit among all citizens in the digital transformation process. Only when the aspiration for development becomes a common driving force for the entire society can Vietnam fully seize the opportunities of the digital age and steadily realize its goal of becoming a developed, high-income nation by 2045.

Lesson 1: Strategic Foundations Shaping a Digital Nation

★ See Nhan Dan Newspaper from the issue dated December 16, 2025.

SONG LINH-QUANG HUY-LIÊN OANH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/bai-2-thao-go-diem-nghen-khoi-day-khat-vong-post930811.html