Vietnam and China launch cooperation on trust services, aiming at mutual recognition

On November 4, 2025, in Beijing, the working delegation of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) led by Ms. To Thi Thu Huong - Director of the National Electronic Authentication Center (NEAC) - had a bilateral working session with the National Industrial Information Security Research and Development Center (NISDRC), under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (MIIT).

Overview of the working session.

The meeting focused on discussing the enhancement of exchanges and cooperation in the field of electronic signatures and trusted services, and considered the possibility of technical interconnection and mutual recognition between the two countries.

Attending the meeting, on the Vietnamese side were leaders of NEAC and representatives of relevant units under the Ministry of Science and Technology . The meeting took place in a friendly and open atmosphere, demonstrating the goodwill of cooperation of both sides. On the Chinese side, there was Ms. Tuong Diem - Director of NISDRC - along with representatives of a number of functional units under MIIT and typical electronic authentication service providers such as Beijing CA, Hong Vien Software, and Thien Coc Information.

At the meeting, the two sides introduced each country's management policies, legal frameworks and market development models for electronic certification services. Specifically, the Chinese representative presented the 2004 Electronic Signature Law (amended in 2015 and 2019) and the strict licensing mechanism of MIIT for this field. In addition, the Chinese side said that the country currently has 59 enterprises providing electronic certification services, operating strongly in areas such as transportation, logistics and e-commerce, contributing significantly to the elimination of paper documents and promoting digital transactions. Through the exchange, the two sides better understood each other's legal environment and practices in developing digital signature services, creating a basis for the next steps of cooperation.

Delegates take souvenir photos

During the bilateral discussion, the two sides focused on the possibility of cross-recognition of authentication results and testing of technical interoperability between the electronic authentication systems of Vietnam and China. The Chinese representative was particularly interested in learning about Vietnam's cross-recognition process, the possibility of licensing foreign organizations in the field of electronic authentication in Vietnam, as well as the method of technical connection with the eSign Gateway platform (the national electronic authentication service connection portal developed by NEAC).

In response, the Vietnamese side proposed that the two sides coordinate to develop a common set of technical standards and conduct interoperability testing and technical audits between the two systems. The goal is to establish a model of mutual recognition of digital certificates between the two countries - an important step to create cross-border digital trust, thereby promoting international electronic transactions in the region. The two sides also discussed the establishment of a Joint Technical Working Group between NEAC and NISDRC, to concretize and effectively implement the proposed cooperation contents such as information sharing, technical testing, recognition of certification bodies (CAs) and development of industry standards.

At the end of the working session, Ms. Tuong Diem - Director of NISDRC - highly appreciated Vietnam's progress in the field of digital signatures and trust services. She also affirmed her desire to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, towards building a model of mutual recognition in the field of electronic authentication, based on trust, unified standards and common interests. The NEAC representative emphasized that this working program is an important first step for the long-term cooperation process between the two agencies, contributing to building a digital trust infrastructure in each country.

The results of the meeting are expected to create a premise for the two sides to sign an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the near future. This agreement, when signed, will contribute to bringing the electronic authentication services of both Vietnam and China to a new level, on the basis of ensuring the common interests and sustainable development of the two countries./.

Center for Science and Technology Communication

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/viet-nam-va-trung-quoc-khoi-dong-hop-tac-ve-dich-vu-tin-cay-huong-toi-cong-nhan-lan-nhau-197251106155413436.htm