At the regular press conference of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr. Nguyen Khac Lich, Director of the Department of Information Technology Industry, Ministry of Science and Technology, said that the Law on Digital Technology Industry was passed by the 15th National Assembly on June 14, 2025 and will take effect from January 1, 2026 (some articles from July 1, 2025), which is a historical milestone, marking a strategic step forward, gradually turning Vietnam into a global digital technology center.
Pioneering legal corridor for transparent digital technology industry
The Law has institutionalized Resolution 57-NQ/TW, Resolution 59-NQ/TW, Resolution 66-NQ/TW, Resolution 68-NQ/TW of the Politburo, creating a strong legal corridor, promoting innovation, enhancing competitiveness and promoting digital transformation, developing the digital economy quickly, strongly and sustainably.
Mr. Nguyen Khac Lich said that the Law on Digital Technology Industry comprehensively regulates the fields of digital technology industry, semiconductor industry, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital assets, creating a synchronous legal foundation for the development of key digital technology industries.
"With detailed regulations on AI and digital asset management, Vietnam has become a pioneer in building a transparent legal framework for the digital technology industry, ensuring safety, network security and user rights," said Mr. Lich.
To make the digital technology industry a key economic driver with a growth rate 2-3 times higher than GDP, the Law provides outstanding incentives for key projects in the fields of digital technology, semiconductors, AI, and data centers.
For example, projects with capital of VND6,000 billion or more enjoy a 5% tax rate for 37 years, a 6-year tax exemption, a 50% tax reduction for the next 13 years, and a land rent exemption for up to 22 years and a 75% reduction for the remaining years. Enterprises receive financial support from the budget, the Development Investment Fund, and are allowed to calculate R&D costs up to 200% of actual costs for corporate income tax purposes.
Concentrated digital technology zones and innovative startup projects enjoy similar incentives to particularly disadvantaged areas, creating a strong driving force for digital technology businesses.
Promote “Make in Vietnam” products
According to the Director of the Department of Information Technology Industry, the Law on Digital Technology Industry clearly affirms the principle of "self-reliance and self-reliance in digital technology and strategic digital technology" as the foundation for the development of the digital technology industry, emphasizing the requirement to promote research, master technology, design, and manufacture of digital technology products and services and strategic digital technology domestically.
The law standardizes the “Make in Vietnam” program, prioritizes the use of Vietnamese digital technology products in state budget projects, and ensures a stable output market.
Startups receive funding to purchase technology, develop prototypes, and promote international trade.
FDI enterprises are encouraged to transfer technology, cooperate with Vietnamese digital technology enterprises, improve production capacity and global competitiveness.
Developing digital technology industry human resources, attracting and employing talented people, high-quality digital technology industry human resources:
The law focuses on developing digital human resources with policies to support training, provide scholarships, preferential credit for learners, and build online teaching platforms.
High-quality digital technology industry human resources are exempted from personal income tax for 5 years, granted 5-year visas for foreign experts, along with a competitive salary and bonus mechanism.
Digital technology talents are supported with working environment, finance for R&D, and honored, rewarded, creating conditions to attract and employ domestic and foreign talents.
Forming a force of Vietnamese digital technology enterprises that is large enough to be on par with advanced countries and large enough to implement the national digital development strategy.
Resolution 57-NQ/TW has set the requirement to “Form and develop a number of large-scale domestic strategic digital technology enterprises to develop digital infrastructure, lead national digital transformation and have sufficient international competitiveness”.
According to Mr. Nguyen Khac Lich, the Law on Digital Technology Industry establishes mechanisms to realize this goal. The State orders enterprises to research and develop key digital technologies, which are part of important national projects and projects with special requirements, and at the same time provides financial support and trade promotion to expand international markets.
Along with developing large digital technology enterprises, the Digital Technology Industry Law also aims to build a strong digital technology industry enterprise ecosystem with the goal of reaching 150,000 enterprises by 2035. The Law provides comprehensive support policies.
Small and medium-sized enterprises are supported with infrastructure investment costs, high-quality human resource training, and given priority to participate in bidding for public procurement projects.
In addition, the Digital Technology Industry Law encourages the development of environmentally friendly digital technology products and services, promotes reuse, recycling, and minimizes environmental impacts. The digital technology ecosystem is built with cooperation between large, small, and supporting enterprises.
Digital infrastructure such as AI data centers and 5G networks are prioritized for investment, with the participation of both the state and private enterprises. A controlled testing mechanism (sandbox) to support innovative startups.
Vietnam is the first country in the world to issue a separate law on the digital technology industry.
Mr. Nguyen Khac Lich, Director of the Department of Information Technology Industry
Semiconductor industry legalized for the first time
For the first time, the semiconductor industry is legalized with a strategy to develop specialized chips and link the global supply chain. Semiconductor projects enjoy special incentives and support from auxiliary products, semiconductor product manufacturing to electronic equipment manufacturing.
Enterprises are allowed to import used technology lines and receive R&D funding support, aiming to master technology and raise Vietnam's position in the global semiconductor chain.
Artificial Intelligence – The Engine of Innovation, the New Way of Production
The law establishes the first legal framework for AI, with human-centered principles, ensuring transparency, safety, and risk control. High-risk and high-impact AI systems are strictly regulated in terms of technology, data, and cybersecurity.
Artificial intelligence (AI) digital technology products must have identification marks, enhance the responsibility of the subjects developing, providing, and using AI, and promote the application of AI in the economy and society.
In particular, the development of digital data in digital technology industry activities is stipulated by the Law to become an important resource and means of production, and to turn artificial intelligence into a new production method; to strongly promote the country's endogenous capacity, to create new economic models with outstanding productivity and value. The State has the highest preferential policies to promote research, development, deployment and use of artificial intelligence.
Digital Assets – Digital Economy Launchpad
The law defines the legal status of digital assets and digital asset management, including virtual assets and crypto assets, ensuring ownership, transactions, and security. With more than 1/5 of Vietnam’s population owning cryptocurrencies (according to Triple-A 2024), this legal framework meets practical needs, encourages the development of strategic blockchain digital technology, and protects users from risks, contributing to the construction of a transparent digital economic ecosystem.
Prioritize investment in infrastructure and digital technology market
The law prioritizes investment in essential digital infrastructure such as AI data centers, concentrated digital technology parks, and national laboratories. Enterprises are supported to develop domestic and foreign markets through information provision, supply-demand connection, and promotion of “Make in Vietnam” products.
Key digital technology bidding packages are given priority for direct bidding and ordering, creating opportunities for Vietnamese digital technology enterprises.
Mr. Nguyen Khac Lich said that the Law on Digital Technology Industry marks a turning point for Vietnam to rise up in the digital era, establishing a solid legal framework for the digital technology industry, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital assets.
With outstanding preferential policies, strategies for developing high-quality digital technology human resources, attracting talent, building modern digital infrastructure and a synchronous ecosystem, the Law on Digital Technology Industry is not only a specialized law but also a strong institutional lever to promote digital transformation and develop the digital economy.
"This is a golden opportunity for Vietnam to create a competitive advantage, support digital technology enterprises to develop sustainably, integrate internationally and move towards affirming its position as a global digital technology center. In particular, Vietnam is the pioneer in being the first country in the world to issue a separate law on the digital technology industry," Mr. Nguyen Khac Lich affirmed.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/cot-moc-lich-su-dua-viet-nam-tro-thanh-trung-tam-cong-nghe-so-toan-cau-post890083.html
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