The Ministry of Public Security is spearheading a groundbreaking initiative with the introduction of a draft proposal for Vietnam’s Data Law. This pivotal legislation addresses the pressing need for a centralised national data centre, marking a significant stride towards cohesive data management infrastructure.
Currently, several ministries grapple with inadequate infrastructure to support vital information technology systems. This deficiency results in disjointed databases plagued by issues of standardisation and uniformity. Moreover, existing data centres suffer from insufficient investment, non-compliance with standards, and lax security measures.
To tackle these challenges head-on, the proposed regulations aim to establish a national data centre. This centre will function as a centralised repository, fostering seamless connectivity among disparate databases and information systems.
The Ministry of Public Security is actively working towards the completion and operation of the inaugural national data centre in Hoa Lac (Hanoi) by the end of 2025. This aligns with the timelines set forth in Resolution No. 175/NQ-CP and the effective date of the Data Law on January 1, 2026.
The impact policy assessment report by the Ministry of Public Security underscores the benefits of the national data centre. It anticipates reduced investment costs for the state in digital transformation infrastructure and resources.
This initiative promises streamlined management and expertise for nationwide data activities, spanning collection, storage, management, exploitation, use, and sharing. Additionally, it ensures cost savings in administering information systems outside the state database of political and socio-political organisations.
Organisations, businesses, and individuals are encouraged to register and utilise services from the government-provided national data centre infrastructure and cloud computing services. This not only optimises investment resources but also mitigates concerns surrounding data leakage.
The Ministry of Public Security forecasts significant cost savings for ministries, departments, and localities in data collection and cleaning related to the population. Leveraging information from the national population database is projected to yield substantial savings.
Furthermore, entities currently leasing data infrastructure space at a considerable cost stand to benefit from transitioning to the national data centre. This shift ensures top-tier security and safety while enabling the state to reduce expenses associated with renting premises, operational costs, and business profits.
The Ministry of Public Security actively seeks input from agencies, organisations, and individuals for the draft Data Law. In recent years, Vietnam has demonstrated its commitment to establishing a robust legal framework for data management. Despite numerous laws regulating databases, the current framework is deemed incomplete, lacking unified standards and efficient deployment mechanisms.
The proposed Data Law aims to bridge this gap by addressing crucial areas such as data building, development, processing, and management. It also encompasses regulations on the national consolidated database, the national data centre, and associated products and services.
Ultimately, the Data Law seeks to bolster Vietnam’s digital government, digital economy, and digital society. By ensuring security, safety, and effective support for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, this legislation heralds a new era of data management in Vietnam. The Ministry suggests aligning other relevant laws with the provisions of the Data Law to foster a cohesive legal landscape conducive to digital advancement.
As OpenGov Asia reported, Vietnam’s digitalisation journey is propelled by the recently approved National Data Strategy, envisioning ambitious technological advancements by 2030. Central to this strategy is transitioning all administrative procedures online, bolstering efficiency in government services.
To support this, Vietnam plans to interconnect national and regional data centres and high-performance computing hubs, enabling seamless data sharing nationwide. Intending to digitalise the entire national database, Vietnam aims to establish an e-government framework, promoting accessibility and transparency in governance.