Deputy PM urges stronger push for smart city development
The Deputy PM applauded the task force’s preparation, stressing that smart urban development is not a choice but an inevitable trend for countries aiming for sustainable growth, improving the quality of life for people, and strengthening urban governance and operation.
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung chairs the first meeting of the inter-agency task force for coordinating smart city construction and development in Hanoi on July 16. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Greater focus on smart urban development is key to advancing the digital and urban economy, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung stated at the first meeting of the📖 inter-agency t♔ask force for coordinating smart city construction and development in Hanoi on July 16.
The Deputy PM applauded the task force’s preparation, stressing that smart urban development is not a choice but an inevitable trend for countries aiming for sustainable growth, improving the quality of life for people, and strengthening urban governance and operation.
If developed effectively, the digital economy can significantly boost national growth, he noted, adding that with proper planning and the integration of IT and digital transformation, the urban economy can also become a strong driver of economic development.
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung speaks at the meeting (Photo: VNA)
According to the deputy PM, the formation of the inter-agency task force is timely and crucial, serving as a central coordinator to advance institutional development, resolve arising challenges, and assist localities, especially the six centrally-run cities, in implementing pilot smart urban projects.
He assigned the Ministry of Construction to lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology and other relevant ministries and agencies to draft a decree under fast-track procedures and submit it to the Government before August 15.
The meeting gave the go-ahead to the establishment of a task force responsible for coordinating and guiding eligible localities in implementing smart city development plans in line with the established roadmap. The task force will also supervise the implementation of relevant projects, and report to the Prime Minister on arising challenges, and propose solutions and policy improvements.
Delegates also reviewed a preliminary report on the implementation of Vietnam’s sustainable smart urban development project for 2018–2025, with a vision to 2030 (Project 950), and provided input on the Government’s draft decree on smart city development.
Ministries, agencies, and localities are required to develop their action plans based on assigned functions and responsibilities and submit them to the task force before July 25. They are also asked to thoroughly review the draft decree and send their feedback to the Ministry of Construction no later than July 20.
The Ministry of Construction is asked to coordinate with the Government Office to collect feedback on the draft decree, and conduct study tours to learn experience of countries with successful smart urban development. Regarding the review of Project 950, the Ministry of Construction is tasked with working with the Ministry of Science and Technology to prepare for the final evaluation by the end of this month.
The Deputy PM called for a clear roadmap to promote smart city-related industries, aiming to boost domestic production and reduce reliance on imports.
He proposed integrating digital transformation with smart city development by selecting several pilot communes or wards and establishing a clear investment roadmap to avoid a “scattered and overlapping” approach that could lead to waste, delays, and missed opportunities for localities.
He also highlighted the role of public-private partnerships in smart urban development./.
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A ceremony was held in Hanoi on August 13 to inaugurate the Vietnam – Korea cooperation centre for smart city and construction technology (VKC) by the Ministry of Construction and the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
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Public-private partnerships are expected to create positive synergy, while also placing greater responsibility on private investors in managing and developing projects. This approach helps ensure the effective use of public funds to advance science and technology, foster innovation, and drive digital transformation.
Vietnam ranked 44th out of 133 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2024, up two places from the previous year, and retained its leading position among lower middle-income countries.
The centre will initially operate at a capacity of 30MW and is expected to scale up to 120MW, serving the huge computing needs for AI development and the digital economy sector of the city.
Across the city’s coastal communities, local authorities are adopting specialised digital applications to manage fishing vessels, monitor catch data, and support traceability efforts.
A report from Fortinet in June revealed that automated scanning attempts had surged to 36,000 per second, a 17% increase from the previous year. Alarmingly, 42% of these were account takeover attacks, and leaks involving 1.7 billion sets of credentials. In Vietnam, data from the National Cybersecurity Association showed that 659,000 cyberattacks were recorded in 2024, affecting approximately 46.15% of government agencies and enterprises.
The introduction of AI robots marks a key step in Hanoi’s efforts to streamline administrative processes, modernise public services, and build a more citizen-friendly government.
Under the Poliburo’s Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, Vietnam aims to be among the top three ASEAN countries and the top 50 globally in AI development by 2030.
With the ambition to become a leading startup and innovation hub in Vietnam and Southeast Asia by 2030, Da Nang has implemented a range of incentives and actively promoted investment in its innovation ecosystem.
Showcased technologies include AI, IoT, Big Data, drones, robotics, Holobox, and sector-specific solutions such as EdTech, AgriTech, FinTech, and cybersecurity. A dedicated zone for startups also forms part of the exhibition.
According to the Law on Digital Technology Industry, the incentives include full corporate income tax exemption for the first two years and 50 % reduction in the four following years, as well as land rent waivers for three years.
Kenneth Tse, General Director of Intel Vietnam, noted that in nearly 20 years of operations in the country, Intel Vietnam has exported over 4 billion products, contributing more than 100 billion USD to Vietnam’s export revenue.
The fund plans to assist Can Tho through a comprehensive set of initiatives such as the “Digital Transformation for All” programme to promote digital literacy; AI training for public officials and businesses; startup incubation and co-investment; and financial support for AI research and innovation. Additional support includes providing free working spaces for AI developers and formulating a region-specific AI strategy.
Amid growing global demand, fragile supply chains and intensifying geopolitical conflicts, Vietnam is rapidly emerging as one of the most promising players in the global semiconductor landscape, a seminar heard in Ho Chi Minh City on July 2.
Key areas eligible for PPPs include high and strategic technologies; infrastructure for the research, development, and application of high and strategic technologies; and digital infrastructure supporting the digital economy, digital society, and digital government.
During the visit, the parties exchanged ideas on high-tech material solutions and technologies that could be applied to national strategic transport infrastructure projects, particularly the North–South high-speed railway project.
CATI-VLM is an AI model for document reading that has already claimed a spot among the world’s elite, ranking first in Vietnam and among the top 12 globally in the Document Visual Question Answering (DocVQA) category of the Robust Reading Competition (RRC) in June 2025.
General Secretary Lam also emphasised the need to immediately issue policies to attract and retain high-level domestic and overseas talents, particularly in critical fields like AI, semiconductors, and advanced materials.
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