Proud of the "Hanoi Convention"

President Luong Cuong, UN Secretary-General and leaders and representatives of countries attending the signing ceremony of the UN Convention against Cybercrime. (Photo: THUY NGUYEN)

Responding to practical demands

Along with the development of science, technology and social life, cybercrime has changed from being just small hacker groups to organized, international activities with the target of financial systems, energy, security... of many countries. Therefore, cybercrime has become a direct threat to the security, sovereignty and stability of every country, one of the particularly dangerous global challenges. According to a report by the United Nations, every day, millions of cyberattacks of all kinds take place globally. In particular, in the period 2021-2024, East Asia and Southeast Asia will face an increasing rate of cybercrime, causing damage of more than 37 billion USD.

High-tech criminals use scam messages to trick customers. (Photo: THUY LINH)

Recently in Vietnam, sophisticated forms of fraud, such as impersonating authorities and taking over accounts and personal data, have become increasingly common.

According to data released at the "Seminar on International Cooperation in Preventing and Combating Online Fraud" held within the framework of the Opening Ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, Vietnam currently has more than 78.4 million Internet users, accounting for about 80% of the population, and more than 72 million social network users. In 2024, the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security detected more than 6,000 cases related to online fraud, with total losses of up to VND 12,000 billion. Authorities have investigated and prosecuted many cases and defendants for fraud or using computer networks, telecommunications networks, and the internet to commit property appropriation.

In general, the economic damage caused by cybercrime in the world amounts to trillions of USD each year, while the legal corridor between countries is still lacking in synchronization and coordination mechanisms have many gaps. This requires strengthening measures to prevent and combat cybercrime on a global scale.

Responding to practical demands, since 2019, the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution initiating the process of building a comprehensive international convention on combating cybercrime. And the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime with the theme: "Combating cybercrime - sharing responsibility - looking towards the future" took place in Hanoi with the participation of representatives of over 100 countries and about 1,000 delegates and reporters from all over the world.

The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, consisting of 9 chapters and 71 articles, marks the birth of the first global legal framework for cooperation in combating cybercrime, promoting technical assistance and capacity building for the common benefit of the international community. The Convention is also a strong message about humanity's determination to combat cybercrime, building a world of peace, justice and the rule of law.
Mr. Dinh Thai Quang, Vice President of Vietnam Association for Legal Dissemination and Consultation

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. (Photo: THUY NGUYEN)

Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan (Thanh Xuan Ward, Hanoi City) said: “In recent years, cybercrime has become more complex, sophisticated, and dangerous. From online fraud to spreading malware, account hijacking, blackmailing, and human trafficking, all have the shadow of cybercrime. With the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, I hope that Vietnam and other countries will join hands to soon repel this dangerous crime.”

Mr. Dinh Thai Quang, Vice President of the Vietnam Association for Dissemination and Consultation of Law, acknowledged that the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, consisting of 9 chapters and 71 articles, marks the birth of the first global legal framework on cooperation in combating cybercrime, promoting technical assistance and capacity building for the common benefit of the international community. The Convention is also a strong message about humanity's determination to combat cybercrime, building a world of peace, justice and the rule of law.

Vietnam proactively contributes to and builds international law

The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime was opened for signature in Hanoi and is called the “Hanoi Convention”. This is the international community’s recognition of Vietnam’s contributions to the process of building and perfecting the content of legal documents of global value in the fight against cybercrime. Vietnam not only respects and fully complies with global legal regulations but also directly participates in the process of building international law, building common standards and values of the digital age.

President Luong Cuong speaks at the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. (Photo: THUY NGUYEN)

Many experts believe that the United Nations’ choice of Hanoi as the place to sign the International Convention on Cybercrime marks an important step forward in Vietnam’s multilateral diplomacy. At the same time, it clearly affirms Vietnam’s role as a reliable partner of countries in multilateral cooperation.

With the “Hanoi Convention”, for the first time in history, the name of the capital city of Vietnam is associated with a global convention of the United Nations, affirming Hanoi’s position as the center of a country that is “growing strongly” in the new era: independence, autonomy, responsibility and deep integration with the world. This event recognizes Vietnam’s role and responsibility in handling non-traditional security challenges; at the same time, it reflects the international community’s trust in Vietnam’s cooperation capacity.

Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Head of the Legal and Information Consulting Department, Institute of International Economics and Law, said: "The Hanoi Convention" affirms Vietnam's position in the era of national development, the era in which we confidently participate in building international law. "The Hanoi Convention" also demonstrates Vietnam's responsibility in building common rules of the digital age, contributing to peace, security and sustainable development."

From another perspective, Lawyer Nguyen Xuan Dung (Hanoi Bar Association) said that the ratification of the "Hanoi Convention" is only an initial success because there are still many problems facing Vietnam and the world in the process of implementing the contents of this legal document. The important issue now is how to get countries with goodwill and determination to cooperate together in preventing and combating cybercrime. "For Vietnam, it is necessary to continue to improve the institutions, legal system and enhance capacity to be able to coordinate with international partners in the uncompromising fight against cybercrime," Lawyer Nguyen Xuan Dung emphasized.

Although there is still much to do, we, every Vietnamese citizen, have the right to be proud that Hanoi was chosen by the United Nations as the starting point of the journey to create a safe, peaceful, cooperative and trustworthy cyberspace in the digital age. The capital Hanoi is associated with an international convention, which is also Vietnam's commitment in its efforts to contribute to peace, security and sustainable development of humanity for a safe digital world, in the spirit of "Vietnam is a friend, a trusted partner and a responsible member of the international community".

TA LINH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/tu-hao-cong-uoc-ha-noi-post917953.html