Protecting intellectual property today means protecting Vietnamese intelligence, Vietnamese brands, Vietnamese creativity and the dignity of Vietnam’s development.

Behind “intellectual property” are the lives of many people

As Vietnam enters a new stage of development driven by science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and cultural industries, I believe the Prime Minister’s issuance of Directive No. 38/CĐ-TTg on May 5, 2026, calling for stronger action against intellectual property violations, is far more than a necessary administrative measure.

It is also a profound reminder about the nation’s path forward: if we want to go far through knowledge, we must first know how to protect knowledge; if we want to build a creative economy, we must first learn to respect creativity; and if we want to enhance national credibility, we must create a fair, transparent and civilized development environment.

I have always believed that behind the seemingly technical concept of “intellectual property” lie the lives and efforts of countless real people.

There is the director who spends years pursuing a screenplay, the musician who pours deeply personal experiences into a song, the writer quietly crafting page after page, the business painstakingly building a brand, or the young entrepreneur launching software, designs, video games or digital content.

All of them share a common belief: if they work seriously, create genuine value and contribute honestly, then their achievements will be respected by society and protected by law.

Yet reality over many years has repeatedly damaged that belief.

A newly released film is secretly recorded and distributed online within hours. A newly published book quickly appears as illegal scans across the internet. A song is used in advertising videos without the author’s permission. Fashion designs, packaging, trademarks and geographical indications are copied almost entirely. Businesses spend years building reputations only to compete against counterfeit products sold at lower prices with increasingly sophisticated marketing, even appearing openly on e-commerce platforms.

These are no longer isolated incidents. They reflect a deeper problem.

If society becomes tolerant of copying, counterfeit goods and pirated products, then we are weakening the very foundation of a creative society.

The damage goes beyond lost revenue. More dangerously, creative motivation erodes, market trust declines, genuine creators are placed at a disadvantage against imitators, and society gradually accepts the mindset that “free is fine,” “cheap is enough,” and “everyone does it anyway.”

This is particularly concerning in the cultural sector.

Vietnam often speaks about developing cultural industries, viewing culture as an internal resource, a development driver and a source of national soft power. But cultural industries cannot thrive if copyright is treated lightly.

Cinema, music, performing arts, visual arts, design, fashion, publishing, advertising, video games, cultural tourism and digital content all depend on intellectual property. Copyright is the bloodstream of cultural industries. If that bloodstream leaks away, the body of the cultural economy cannot remain healthy.

Consider cinema.

A film is not merely the work of actors appearing on screen. Behind it are scriptwriters, directors, actors, cinematographers, sound engineers, lighting crews, editors, post-production teams, communications specialists, distributors, investors and many silent workers.

If audiences stop going to theaters because pirated versions are easily available online, if producers cannot recover investment costs, if companies hesitate to fund future projects, then the damage extends far beyond a single film. It slows the development of an entire film industry that urgently needs professionalism and trust.

Consider music.

Many young Vietnamese artists today are highly dynamic and creative. They understand digital platforms and know how to tell personal and cultural stories in modern ways.

But if music products are used arbitrarily, edited, commercialized or inserted into livestreams, advertisements and digital content without transparent licensing and payment mechanisms, creators will struggle to secure sustainable incomes.

Vietnam hopes its music industry can reach global audiences, but to achieve that, the domestic market must first know how to protect the legitimate rights of musicians.

Consider local products.

An agricultural brand, geographical indication or traditional craft product carries more than commercial value. It represents the reputation of a region, the knowledge of a community and traditions built across generations.

When products are counterfeited, mislabeled or improperly branded, the damage extends beyond business interests. It harms local dignity, consumer trust and the opportunity to turn cultural identity into competitive advantage.

Successful nations all value intellectual property protection

Looking abroad, countries with successful creative economies all place strong emphasis on intellectual property protection.

South Korea could never have built the powerful Hallyu wave that spread music, cinema, television dramas, cosmetics, fashion, cuisine and tourism globally without a relatively professional copyright ecosystem.

When a K-pop song, a film, a television format or an entertainment brand is systematically protected and commercialized, it generates not only revenue for artists and businesses but also a youthful, modern and creative national image.

Japan offers another compelling example.

Manga, anime, video games, character design, merchandise and tourism linked to cultural works have created a globally influential cultural-economic ecosystem.

From a single animated character, Japan can develop films, books, toys, theme parks, fashion, advertising, tourism and cultural diplomacy.

Behind that success lies a robust legal framework protecting authorship, image commercialization rights, character rights and trademarks. Creativity flourishes only when it is protected.

In the US, copyright-based industries such as film, music, software, publishing and video games have become integral parts of economic power and soft power.

Hollywood exports not just films, but lifestyles, storytelling technologies and cultural influence. Silicon Valley creates not only software but vast intellectual property assets.

Every country has different conditions, but one point remains clear: no strong creative economy treats intellectual property lightly.

That reality offers Vietnam an important lesson.

Vietnam possesses rich cultural heritage, a young creative workforce, a large domestic market, rapid digital transformation and strong ambitions for growth.

But to transform these advantages into real strength, Vietnam needs an environment where ideas are respected, creative works are protected, brands are preserved, honest businesses are encouraged and consumers are guided toward civilized choices.

Building a culture of copyright respect

Protecting intellectual property therefore means more than punishing violators. It also means building a culture that respects copyright.

Laws can impose penalties, but culture creates voluntary awareness.

When young people understand that downloading pirated books harms authors, watching illegal films harms filmmakers, using pirated software harms programmers, buying counterfeit goods supports fraud, and using other people’s images, music or data without permission disrespects creativity, then the law has become part of everyday cultural values.

A culture of copyright respect must begin with small actions.

Schools should teach students that plagiarism is wrong, copying ideas without attribution is wrong and using creative works without permission is wrong.

Government agencies should set examples through proper use of licensed software, documents and data.

Businesses should treat intellectual property as a strategic asset rather than a secondary procedure.

Media organizations should encourage consumers to use legal cultural products while condemning counterfeit goods and piracy.

Yet awareness alone is not enough.

To change behavior, legal alternatives must also become more accessible, affordable and user-friendly.

Society cannot simply demand that people stop watching pirated films if legitimate platforms remain expensive, inconvenient or lacking in content. Nor can it discourage pirated books if legal e-book services remain underdeveloped.

International experience shows that effective anti-piracy efforts must go hand in hand with building attractive legal markets that are easy to access and reasonably priced.

Artificial intelligence presents another serious challenge.

AI is unlocking unprecedented creative possibilities while simultaneously raising difficult questions surrounding authorship, training data, voices, images, artistic styles, performers’ rights and ownership rights.

Voices can now be replicated. Faces can be recreated. Artistic styles can be imitated. Massive datasets can be exploited without consent.

Without early preparation, technology may advance far faster than legal systems and enforcement mechanisms.

At the national level, intellectual property protection is directly tied to Vietnam’s international credibility.

National reputation is shaped not only by economic growth or market size, but also by institutional quality, legal enforcement, business transparency and the seriousness with which legal rights are protected.

A country that safeguards intellectual property will be viewed as a trustworthy destination for high-tech investment, research and development, digital commerce and creative industries.

Conversely, if piracy, counterfeiting and intellectual property violations remain widespread, investors will hesitate, legitimate businesses will lose motivation and consumers will lose trust.

That would not simply be economic damage. It would also be damage to the national image.

At its deepest level, intellectual property is a question about Vietnam’s development choices.

Does Vietnam want to become a creative nation or remain a market tolerant of imitation?

Does Vietnam want to encourage young people to pursue technology, art, design and digital content, or allow them to conclude that genuine work is difficult while copying is more profitable?

Does Vietnam want culture to become a development resource, or accept a future in which cultural products are endlessly exploited illegally and creators cannot survive from their work?

The answer must be clear.

Vietnam chooses a path of development based on knowledge, creativity, discipline and culture.

No nation becomes strong by tolerating dishonesty. No creative economy grows while disregarding copyright. No national reputation remains sustainable if the market environment lacks fairness.

Protecting intellectual property today means protecting Vietnamese intelligence, Vietnamese brands, Vietnamese creativity and the dignity of Vietnam’s development.

When creative works are respected, brands protected, inventions recognized and cultural products properly valued, Vietnam is not only upholding the law.

It is planting trust in the future.

And from that trust, a more creative, civilized, responsible and respected Vietnam can emerge.

Protecting Vietnamese intelligence, ultimately, means protecting Vietnam’s path toward the future.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Hoai Son