Key Takeaways
- The Ministry of Science and Technology aims to finalize national standards for smart cities by this year.
- Project 950 has successfully initiated smart city plans in several regions, enhancing digital services for citizens and businesses.
- A unified approach to infrastructure and management will prioritize collaboration among government, citizens, and enterprises.
Progress on Smart City Development in Vietnam
The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) announced plans to expedite the establishment of national standards and technical regulations for smart cities during a review conference of the “Sustainable Smart City Development Project in Vietnam 2018–2025” (Project 950) on August 13 in Hanoi.
Project 950 has shown initial success over the past seven years, with various provinces like Hue, Binh Duong, Da Nang, Quang Ninh, and Ho Chi Minh City implementing innovative smart city initiatives. These projects focus on key areas, including intelligent operations centers (IOC), geo-information systems (GIS), healthcare, education, transportation, and digital public services, fundamentally transforming the way citizens interact with government services.
The development has provided tangible benefits by enhancing access to digital services and ensuring transparency in government planning, healthcare, transportation, and education sectors. The new smart city framework also encourages investment opportunities and fuels innovation through open data infrastructures and updated state policies, benefiting both local enterprises and governmental operations.
Dinh Hoang Long of the National Digital Transformation Agency emphasized the importance of effective governance and operational efficiency in managing smart cities, rather than merely focusing on adopting new technologies. A collaborative approach involving the government, citizens, and businesses is essential to leverage digital tools for better urban management.
Looking ahead, MoST aims to shift from fragmented infrastructure to unified digital platforms through a “platform government” model. Key priorities include establishing standardization to ensure seamless connectivity and interoperability among smart city systems. Without such standards, technical barriers could impede progress and waste resources.
To facilitate this, MoST plans to complete and announce national standards (TCVN) and technical regulations (QCVN) for smart cities by the end of the year, focusing on intelligent operations centers. Additionally, a proposed Government Decree will aim to provide a comprehensive legal framework for smart city governance, defining roles, responsibilities, and mechanisms for investment and public-private partnerships.
Going forward, a new national strategy will build on Project 950’s achievements, including pilot projects that test digital twin technology in six centrally-run cities by 2025, with nationwide scaling set for 2026. Vu Viet Hung from Viettel Solutions also called for a cohesive decree that outlines clear standards, roadmaps, and technical requirements, highlighting the need for inter-provincial cooperation and the establishment of regional data centers to support integrated digital operations.
The content above is a summary. For more details, see the source article.
