Brian Jeffrey
This article presents the comprehensive speech delivered by Nguyen Manh Hung, the Minister of Information and Communications, during the 2024 year-end review conference held by the MIC.
Five years ago, while the integration of IT was quite common, the term ‘digital transformation’ was just emerging. This was a global trend, not limited to Vietnam. Essentially, those willing to innovate are the ones who set the pace.
The initiation of the government’s National Digital Transformation Program in 2020 was both daring and groundbreaking. The last five years have seen significant efforts to implement and explore new avenues. This spirit of innovation has enabled Vietnam to rank among the fastest-growing nations in various sectors such as e-commerce, digital government, online public services, and overall digital transformation globally and in the region.
The year 2025 represents a pivotal moment, ushering in an era of aspirations for Vietnam to elevate its status to a high-income nation.
By 2030, Vietnam aims to achieve a higher average income, aspiring to place itself within the top 100 countries globally (currently ranked 120th). For this to happen, advancements in digital infrastructure, technology, and industry are essential, with a target to break into the global top 50 by 2030, as outlined in the Politburo’s Resolution 57 focused on major advancements in science and technology innovation alongside national digital transformation.
In terms of the postal sector, Vietnam currently holds the 31st rank but is aiming for the top 20 worldwide.
For telecommunications, Vietnam is at 72nd place but has made remarkable progress. In 2018, it was ranked 108th, leapfrogging 36 positions in just six years. With continued growth, Vietnam could soon find itself among the global top 50 or even top 40.
In data infrastructure, Vietnam reports 2 MW of capacity per 1 million people, despite lacking foreign investment in data centers. The country stands at around 60th globally and has a chance of breaking into the top 30 by 2030 if it successfully attracts significant investment from major tech firms and if local companies make considerable investments in this sector.
Regarding cybersecurity, Vietnam is currently in 17th place, aiming to reach the top 10.
In the digital technology sector, Vietnam excels in several areas: it ranks 2nd in smartphone exports, 5th in computer component exports, 6th in computer equipment exports, 8th in electronic components and accessories, and 7th in software outsourcing.
Overall, Vietnam’s digital technology market is among the top 20 globally if considering its total revenue contributions. The plan is to solidify its position possibly at the 15th rank by increasing the domestic contribution from 32 percent to 50 percent of total revenue by 2030.
In the digital economy realm, Vietnam is ranked 41st by its digital economy’s percentage of GDP, with rapid upward movement. In 2024, this percentage was almost 19%, and reaching the 20% mark by 2025 is a realistic objective. The country aspires to be among the top 30 by 2030, with the digital economy projected to account for 30-35% of GDP.
As for digital governance, Vietnam saw improvement to 71st place in 2024, achieving a remarkable jump of 15 ranks in just two years. If 80% of public services are fully transitioned online by 2025 as directed by the Prime Minister, Vietnam could be positioned within the world’s top 50 in e-government/digital governance by 2028, and potentially the top 40 by 2030.
By 2030, Vietnam aims to rank among the top 50 globally in digital infrastructure, technology, industry, and transformation while aspiring to be within the top 20-30 in several other sectors.
At present, Vietnam is recognized as a middle-income country. The nation stands at a unique crossroads, influenced by the fourth industrial revolution—the digital technology era—and harbors ambitions to emerge as a robust country. Meeting three foundational conditions will be pivotal for Vietnam to achieve significant growth rates moving forward.
In alignment with directives from the Party Central Committee and the government, the Ministry of Information and Communications will merge with the Ministry of Science and Technology to create a unified Ministry of Science, Technology, and Communications.
With over 50,000 digital technology firms under the MIC’s oversight, this merger will facilitate quicker access to research advancements from the MST, ensuring that scientific innovations are more accessible to businesses and accelerating the transition from research to marketable products that can enhance people’s lives.
The Politburo has issued Resolution 57, which focuses on significant breakthroughs in the domains of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation, resonating with the historical ‘Khoan 10’ reforms in agriculture, but now applied to science and technological innovation alongside national digital transformation.
Minister of Information and Communications
