On February 25, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the Government Steering Committee for Science, Technology, Innovation, Digital Transformation, and Project 06, chaired the committee’s first meeting of 2026.

Digital economy breakthrough

Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh commended the efforts and achievements of ministries, sectors, localities, citizens, and businesses, which have significantly contributed to the development of science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, and Project 06, while playing a vital role in the country’s socio-economic accomplishments.

However, the Prime Minister pointed out limitations in data exploitation for administrative reform, noting that four key databases-social security, agriculture, healthcare, and administrative violation handling have yet to fully establish their foundational platforms. Digital infrastructure development remains inconsistent with economic potential and growth rates, as 5G coverage is not yet universal, and large-scale data centers are lacking. Additionally, shortcomings persist in cybersecurity, information safety, and data management.

Stating that 2026 is the inaugural year for implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, the Prime Minister called for a strong shift in mindset from task-based implementation to result-oriented governance, using tangible products and the satisfaction of citizens and businesses as the ultimate measure of efficiency. He urged a focus on perfecting institutions and breakthrough policies, particularly regarding the data economy and artificial intelligence.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that achieving double-digit, rapid, and sustainable growth must be grounded in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation linked to Project 06. He called for intensified decentralization and the delegation of power alongside appropriate resource allocation, enhanced inspection and supervision, and the recognition of data as a strategic resource.

If 2025 served as the foundational year, then 2026 must be a year of breakthroughs, marked by a strong shift from passive management to proactive creation, development, and public service. This aligns with the spirit of "The State creates - Businesses pioneer - Officials lead - Public and private sectors accompany - The country develops - The people benefit”.

The Prime Minister fundamentally agreed with the 2026 theme: “Digital economy breakthrough - Utilizing the data economy and artificial intelligence as new pillars for more sustainable and smarter development”.

Five key tasks

The Prime Minister outlined five groups of key tasks and solutions. First, the Steering Committee’s activities must be deployed effectively, decisively implementing the seven groups of tasks assigned by the Central Government for 2026. The Ministry of Science and Technology is tasked with leading and coordinating with the Ministry of Public Safety and the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide guidelines for implementation plans, to be completed within February 2026. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Public Safety is to submit the organizational and operational regulations of the National Steering Committee on Data for issuance this month.

Second, institutions, mechanisms, and policies regarding the data economy and artificial intelligence must be finalized. Ministries are urged to promptly draft guiding documents for relevant laws to ensure synchronization. During 2026, the Ministry of Public Safety will develop mechanisms for Innovation Centers, data exploitation, data exchanges, and data economy development. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance will coordinate to establish a legal framework for data valuation, exploitation fees, and incentive policies, with a completion deadline set for June 2026.

Third, the development of digital infrastructure and critical databases must be accelerated. Ministries and sectors are responsible for the progress and quality of national and specialized databases. The Ministry of Public Security is tasked with officially putting National Data Center No. 1 into operation while coordinating with enterprises on labeling and data conversion to support the development of an autonomous AI platform.

The Ministry of Science and Technology will promote low-earth orbit satellite internet for commercial operation and direct telecommunications enterprises to invest in 5G stations to achieve nationwide coverage in 2026. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will direct Vietnam Electricity (EVN) to ensure no villages or hamlets remain without electricity.

Fourth, Project 06 must be intensified in connection with administrative reform, focusing on cutting and simplifying procedures while eliminating the practice of requesting information already available in existing databases.

Fifth, resources must be secured to develop high-quality human resources, maintaining a minimum of 3% of total annual budget expenditures for digital transformation. This includes building a national program for AI human resource development and a data governance training framework.

The Prime Minister assigned the development of a real-time index to monitor task implementation, expressing confidence that digital economy development-centered on the data economy and autonomous AI-will continue to transform strongly, contributing to the realization of the 14th National Party Congress Resolution and the Politburo's thematic resolutions.