Vietnam will accelerate efforts to connect its VNeID digital identity platform with electronic identity systems in Singapore and other ASEAN member states as part of a broader strategy to strengthen digital transformation, improve public services and enhance regional connectivity.

The directive was issued by General Secretary and State President To Lam, who also heads the Central Steering Committee for Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation, following a specialized meeting on digital transformation within Vietnam's political system.

Addressing three major bottlenecks

According to a conclusion released by the Office of the Party Central Committee, To Lam identified three major challenges that continue to slow the country's digital transformation efforts.

First, although funding has been allocated for digital transformation projects, implementation remains slow and inefficient. The disbursement rate has reached just 12.2%, significantly below the overall national public investment disbursement rate.

Second, despite substantial investment in digital platforms, information systems and databases, data sharing and interoperability remain limited. Existing databases have yet to become strategic resources supporting national governance, the digital economy or improved services for citizens and businesses.

Third, while political commitment remains strong, implementation in many agencies has not matched expectations, with some projects progressing only formally and failing to deliver meaningful results.

According to Party Chief and President To Lam, these challenges indicate that the primary obstacle is no longer policy or funding, but the ability of agencies to execute plans effectively and the accountability of leaders at every level.

Expanding VNeID beyond Vietnam

Among six priority tasks outlined during the meeting, To Lam instructed ministries and agencies to accelerate the development of shared digital infrastructure and national databases.

He emphasized that data should be treated as a strategic national resource and managed under the principles of being accurate, complete, clean, continuously updated, standardized and shared to maximize its value for government administration, businesses and citizens.

Authorities were also instructed to continue developing digital identification systems for motor vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In addition, Vietnam will move quickly to establish interoperability between VNeID and the electronic identity systems of Singapore and other ASEAN countries, while expanding domestic digital services available through the platform for citizens, businesses and public administration.

Improving digital public services

Party Chief and President To Lam also stressed that government agencies should fully reuse information already available in national databases rather than requiring citizens or businesses to repeatedly submit the same information.

He said the quality of online public services should be measured by actual usage, convenience and reductions in processing time and administrative costs, rather than simply by the number of procedures available online.

Safe and responsible AI deployment

Another priority is the safe, responsible and well-regulated deployment of artificial intelligence.

The Vietnamese leader called for AI systems to be developed and used for appropriate purposes under clear authority and accountability while avoiding misuse. He also encouraged centralized, shared AI models instead of fragmented investment that could lead to duplication and wasted resources.

He emphasized that national security, cybersecurity and data protection must be built into AI systems from the design stage.

Stronger cybersecurity and accountability

The directive also calls for stronger cybersecurity measures across all government information systems, databases and digital platforms, requiring security protections to be integrated from the outset rather than added after deployment.

To Lam further instructed ministries, local governments and public agencies to strengthen leadership and oversight of digital transformation projects.

Future progress, he said, should be evaluated based on tangible outcomes rather than administrative procedures.

A task should only be considered complete when it produces a functioning product, generates verifiable data, serves real users and delivers measurable benefits.

Leaders at every level were also instructed to personally oversee digital transformation efforts within their organizations and lead by example by using digital platforms in management and decision-making.

Central and local authorities have also been directed to implement the government's 100-day action plan aimed at removing key bottlenecks in digital transformation across Vietnam's political system.

Tran Thuong