Vietnam

Intelligence for Better Decision Making

Vietnam Advances Toward Comprehensive National AI Strategy and Legal Framework

Dec. 4, 2025 | Technology & Innovation

Vietnam plans to establish comprehensive legal and strategic frameworks to treat artificial intelligence as critical national infrastructure.

**At the VinFuture Science and Technology Week on December 2, 2025, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bùi Thế Duy announced that Vietnam will update its national AI strategy and enact an AI law by year’s end.**
He said the government will elevate AI to the same level as electricity and telecommunications to strengthen socio-economic development and national security. The plan includes building a national AI supercomputing center and creating an open data ecosystem to drive rapid, autonomous AI advancements.

**To support these infrastructure upgrades, the government will adopt an open development philosophy that emphasizes open standards, open data, and open source code to ensure transparency and safety.**
State agencies will lead the rollout of AI applications across central ministries and local governments to stimulate market growth. Meanwhile, the National Technology Innovation Fund will allocate 30 to 40 percent of its resources to AI projects, including targeted support for small and medium-sized enterprises to build a competitive domestic AI sector.

**Beyond infrastructure and funding, Vietnam intends to shift from merely applying AI to fully transforming governance and production processes around AI capabilities.**
The strategy leverages the country’s young workforce, extensive data resources, and dynamic startup ecosystem. Policymakers will follow the principle of “fast, safe, humane” to maintain human oversight in all critical AI-driven decisions.

**In parallel, the forthcoming national AI strategy, AI law, and code of ethics will use a risk-based management model that prioritizes transparency, accountability, domestic technology development, sustainable growth, and digital sovereignty.**
Bùi Thế Duy said Vietnam will balance global integration with local autonomy, align technological innovation with practical applications, and strengthen institutions, infrastructure, human resources, and an AI culture as the four pillars of long-term progress.

**Internationally, experts at the symposium examined AI’s potential and risks.**
Geoffrey Hinton predicted that AI could exceed human intelligence within about two decades and urged policies that align AI behavior with human values. Yoshua Bengio warned of unpredictable AI behaviors and potential emotional dependency, calling for collaborative policy, scientific, and societal measures to prioritize safety. Vinton Gray Cerf compared AI’s growth to the Internet’s evolution, stressing that connectivity, openness, digital trust, and accountability will be essential to prevent AI-driven misinformation and social disruption.

**Attendees agreed that anchoring AI development in ethics, safety, and humanistic values will ensure the technology serves humanity and supports sustainable global progress.**

Vietnam and Laos Deepen Strategic Partnership with Comprehensive High-Level Agreements

Dec. 4, 2025 | Geopolitics & Defense

Vietnam and Laos have deepened their strategic partnership through a series of high-level agreements and collaborative initiatives spanning political, defense, economic, and cultural domains.

**On December 2, 2025, Vietnam’s General Secretary Tô Lâm and his Lao counterpart and President, Thongloun Sisoulith, co-chaired a high-level inter-party meeting in Vientiane as part of Vietnam’s state visit to celebrate Laos’ 50th National Day.**
They reviewed domestic political developments, assessed achievements since their previous gatherings, and committed to deepening the “Great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, strategic linkage” as the strategic compass guiding bilateral relations. The leaders exchanged updates on their upcoming national party congresses and agreed to launch new mechanisms for policy consultation and coordination in regional and global forums.

**They emphasized defense and security cooperation as a core pillar of their partnership.**
Vietnam pledged support for Laos in strengthening its defense capabilities, border management, law enforcement, and efforts to counter security threats such as terrorism, cybercrime, and transnational crime. The two countries continued their joint search and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers in Laos and discussed trilateral coordination with Cambodia to establish a strategic development framework that reinforces regional stability and long-term planning among the three nations.

**Both governments identified economic, trade, and investment cooperation as a strategic breakthrough.**
They set a near-term goal of raising bilateral trade turnover to US$5 billion, with an eventual target of US$10 billion. To achieve this, they agreed to accelerate construction of the Hanoi–Vientiane expressway, develop the Laos–Vietnam International Port, and support the Vietnam–Laos Industrial Zone, as well as advance cross-border activities along the East–West Economic Corridor. They committed to resolving administrative and logistical obstacles, enhancing connectivity, and improving the investment climate to facilitate Vietnamese enterprises in Laos and Lao investors in Vietnam.

**The two governments signed multiple memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements across economy, banking and finance, tourism, energy, telecommunications, science and technology, culture, education, health, and labor.**
In human resource development, Vietnam will continue offering annual scholarships to roughly 400 Lao students in medicine and pharmacy and will host free training courses at Vietnamese institutions. They agreed to promote cultural exchanges such as Vietnam Film Week in Laos and joint photo exhibitions to strengthen people-to-people ties. Under the 2023 health cooperation MoU, both sides will enhance workforce training, transfer technology, coordinate border health quarantine efforts, and share epidemic response measures, including pandemic support and assistance with new hospital projects in Xiengkhouang and Hủa Phăn provinces.

**Labor and social welfare cooperation advanced through follow-up to the 9th Vietnam-Laos Labour Ministers’ Conference, focusing on capacity-building for civil servants, mobilizing resources at the local level, and improving policy frameworks to implement the Memorandum of Understanding on labor and persons with meritorious services.**
Both ministries agreed to assign clear tasks to turn leadership commitments into concrete outcomes, strengthen institutional frameworks, and share best practices.

**Internationally, Vietnam and Laos reaffirmed their coordination within ASEAN, the Greater Mekong Subregion, and United Nations mechanisms to uphold regional peace, security, and sustainable development.**
They pledged to collaborate on South China Sea issues in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and to enhance policy consultation and information sharing in regional and global forums. General Secretary Tô Lâm extended an official invitation to General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith for a reciprocal visit to Vietnam, signaling ongoing high-level exchanges and continued reinforcement of their strategic partnership.

Monitored Intelligence for Vietnam - Dec. 5, 2025

News
Media
131

Government
Releases
21

City/State
Releases
0

Embassy
Releases
2

Foreign
Service
Advisories
0

Academic/
Think
Tank
2

Podcasts
0

Videos
0

Social
Media
0

Business
Releases
9

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Vùng Cảnh sát biển 2 xử phạt 87 tàu cá vi phạm quy định về khai thác thủy sản

Coast Guard Region 2 fines 87 fishing vessels for violating fisheries exploitation regulations

Bao Dien Tu | Local Language | News | Dec. 5, 2025 | Regulation

From October 15 to December 2, Coast Guard Region 2 coordinated with local authorities and military commands in Quảng Trị, Quảng Ngãi, Gia Lai, and Đà Nẵng to launch an intensive campaign against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The campaign involved organizing 247 legal outreach sessions targeting thousands of residents, boat owners, and fishermen to disseminate information and raise awareness on combating IUU fishing.

The region deployed 23 vessels for patrol, inspection, and control missions, inspecting 306 fishing vessels at sea. As a result, 87 vessels were fined for violating fisheries exploitation regulations, and 4 vessels were detained due to serious or suspected violations. Outreach efforts also reached 399 fishing vessels with over 3,100 crew members, aiming to educate those involved in fishing activities about compliance with legal and regulatory frameworks.

Looking ahead, Coast Guard Region 2 plans to intensify patrols, inspections, and preventive measures to completely eliminate IUU fishing violations before the European Commission's upcoming fifth inspection visit. Coordination with Border Guard forces and Fisheries Departments will be strengthened to manage vessel activity near boundary lines and ports. The region will continue extensive publicity and legal education to promote adherence to state laws and protect the country’s maritime sovereignty and security.

Vietnam's GDP forecasted to grow 6.2 pct in 2026: OECD

Vietnam News | English | News | Dec. 5, 2025 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth

Vietnam's GDP is forecasted to grow by 6.2 percent in 2026 and 5.8 percent in 2027, according to a report from the OECD cited by the Vietnam News Agency. Despite a projected moderation in growth, Vietnam remains one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, aligning with predictions from other major international institutions.

Public investment is expected to continue playing a significant role in driving aggregate demand and supporting economic growth, aiding Vietnam's goal of achieving an 8 percent annual GDP growth rate in 2025. However, the OECD highlighted significant risks to Vietnam's economy, including a potential slowdown in global trade in 2026, planned adjustments to value-added tax rates in 2027, and uncertainties stemming from the policy directions of major economies.

Vietnam proposes specialized court with option to appoint foreign judges

Vietnam Net - E | English | News | Dec. 5, 2025 | Regulation

Vietnam’s National Assembly Standing Committee reviewed the draft Law on Specialized Courts to support the operation of the international financial center. The specialized court will operate independently within its jurisdiction, ensuring impartial and efficient dispute resolution through fair, transparent trials and appellate procedures. It will employ flexible, internationally aligned practices such as adversarial proceedings and allow parties to agree on the application of foreign laws, international commercial customs, or treaties, provided they do not conflict with Vietnam’s public order.

The draft proposes establishing one specialized court in Ho Chi Minh City with jurisdiction over disputes arising in international financial centers in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. The court will have trial and appellate divisions and administrative units, with judges appointed by the President of Vietnam. Both Vietnamese and foreign judges may be appointed, with foreign judges required to have at least 10 years of relevant experience, be fluent in English, and meet age and health criteria.

Two consultation points were debated: the composition of trial panels and the appointment of the chief judge. The Supreme People’s Court supports first-instance cases being heard by a single judge unless complex, appeals always by three judges, and the chief judge appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court rather than the President. The National Assembly Standing Committee agreed with these positions and will fast-track the draft law for approval during its 10th session.

The draft law is scheduled for presentation to the National Assembly on December 4, 2025, with a vote expected on December 11. Standing Vice Chairman Do Van Chien highlighted the law’s focus on uniqueness, excellence, compliance with international standards, and investor appeal.

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