The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) recently held a pivotal meeting with CMC Corporation, one of Vietnam’s leading technology firms, signaling a concerted effort to accelerate the nation’s digital transformation and propel it into an era of prosperity. Chaired by Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, the extensive four-hour session on the afternoon of October 25th at the MIC Headquarters marked a significant milestone, being the first dedicated working meeting between CMC’s leadership and the Ministry’s top officials in the corporation’s 31-year history. This unprecedented engagement underscored the government’s recognition of CMC’s substantial contributions to the national technology landscape and its strong belief in the company’s potential to emerge as a formidable digital technology powerhouse, both domestically and on the international stage.
Vietnam’s Strategic Imperative for Digital Transformation
Vietnam has embarked on an ambitious journey towards comprehensive digital transformation, a national priority enshrined in its National Digital Transformation Program to 2025, with a broader vision extending to 2030. This strategic roadmap aims to develop a robust digital government, a dynamic digital economy, and an inclusive digital society, ultimately positioning Vietnam as a leading digital nation in Southeast Asia. The digital economy, for instance, is projected to contribute significantly to the national GDP, with targets often set around 20-25% by 2025, reflecting its growing importance as a driver of economic growth and innovation.
A cornerstone of this national vision is the fostering and empowerment of indigenous technology enterprises. These companies are seen as crucial drivers for developing "Make in Vietnam" solutions, ensuring national digital sovereignty, and building a self-reliant digital economy. The government’s emphasis on local innovation is not merely an economic strategy; it is deeply intertwined with national security, ensuring that critical digital infrastructure and services are controlled and developed domestically, thereby reducing reliance on foreign technologies and mitigating potential risks in a complex global environment.
Minister Nguyen Manh Hung has been a consistent and vocal proponent of this "Make in Vietnam" philosophy. He has repeatedly urged Vietnamese tech companies to master core technologies, innovate locally, and expand their global footprint. His vision for the industry extends beyond mere economic growth; it encompasses a broader national mission to harness technology as a fundamental force for elevating Vietnam’s standing in the world. Against this backdrop, the MIC’s direct engagement with CMC, a company with over three decades of experience in the technology sector, highlights the strategic importance placed on nurturing key players who can translate national aspirations into tangible technological advancements. CMC, established in 1993, has grown from a fledgling IT services provider into a diverse technology group with expertise in software, telecommunications, and digital transformation, playing a significant role in Vietnam’s technological evolution.
A Historic Dialogue: Charting CMC’s Future and National Alignment
The high-level meeting on October 25th saw a distinguished delegation from the MIC, including Deputy Ministers Nguyen Thanh Lam and Bui Hoang Phuong, alongside leaders from various specialized units within the Ministry. Their presence underscored the comprehensive nature of the discussions and the MIC’s commitment to providing multi-faceted support. Representing CMC were its top leadership and key personnel, eager to present their strategic vision and seek guidance from the nation’s leading ICT policymakers.
The session commenced with a concise video presentation, encapsulating CMC’s journey of over 30 years. This visual narrative highlighted the corporation’s evolution, its significant achievements, and its adaptability in navigating the dynamic technology landscape since its inception. Following this, Mr. Dang Tung Son, CMC’s Vice Chairman of Strategy, delivered a comprehensive report. He detailed the corporation’s business performance and key activities for the first half of the fiscal year 2024, providing a transparent snapshot of its current operational health and strategic priorities.
Crucially, Mr. Son also unveiled CMC’s ambitious development orientation stretching to 2028. Under this strategic plan, CMC aims to transform into a global digital and AI group by 2028, adhering to international standards. This vision entails aggressive growth targets: tripling its current revenue and significantly expanding its workforce to over 10,000 employees. A substantial portion of this expanded human capital – 40% – is specifically earmarked for specialized roles in Artificial Intelligence, underscoring the company’s commitment to becoming a leader in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. This bold declaration by CMC reflects not only its corporate ambition but also its strategic alignment with Vietnam’s broader national focus on leveraging AI for socio-economic development, recognizing AI as a transformative technology for the coming decade.
Minister’s Vision: National Mission as the Core of Corporate Growth
Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, expressing great anticipation for CMC’s future, articulated his profound hope that the corporation would evolve into a pioneering Vietnamese digital technology enterprise. He challenged CMC’s leadership and key personnel to embrace a renewed sense of purpose and determination, urging them to make significant contributions to Vietnam’s national digital transformation revolution. The ultimate objective, as framed by the Minister, is to "bring Vietnam into a powerful and prosperous era" – a direct invocation of the meeting’s overarching theme and a reflection of the government’s long-term aspirations for the nation.
A central tenet of the Minister’s address was the imperative for Vietnam to achieve technological mastery. He unequivocally stated, "General Secretary To Lam has officially declared that Vietnam must master technology, especially when digital transformation is identified as the path for Vietnam to become a developed country." This powerful statement from the highest echelons of Vietnamese leadership underscores the strategic national importance of technological self-reliance. Minister Hung further emphasized that for CMC and other Vietnamese digital technology firms to truly master technology and effectively lead the national digital transformation, they must significantly increase their investment in research and development (R&D). He advised a phased approach: first, mastering the application of existing technologies, then progressing towards mastering the core underlying technologies themselves. This long-term vision aims to move Vietnam beyond merely adopting foreign technologies to actively creating foundational innovations domestically, fostering true technological independence.
The Minister’s message was clear: for an enterprise to be truly "leading, large, and international," it must not shy away from undertaking significant projects that align with the national mission. "Enterprises want to grow, want to endure with the nation, then they must tie themselves to the national mission," Minister Hung asserted. This philosophy implies that the scale and impact of a company’s contributions to national development are directly proportional to its potential for sustainable growth and international recognition. It’s a call for strategic patriotism in the corporate sector, where business success is inextricably linked to national progress and the advancement of collective goals. This approach seeks to leverage the dynamism of private enterprise for broader societal benefits.
Strategic Directives and Practical Guidance for CMC
The four-hour meeting was characterized by an open, frank, and constructive dialogue. Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, along with the Deputy Ministers and other MIC leaders, dedicated a substantial portion of the time to thoroughly addressing CMC’s proposals and questions. They offered insightful guidance and concrete suggestions for specific areas that CMC should prioritize in the coming period, demonstrating a proactive approach to supporting national tech champions.
One critical area of discussion revolved around the infrastructure for international connectivity. CMC raised concerns regarding the complex procedures for investing in land for new submarine cable landing stations – a vital component for global digital communication. Recognizing the strategic importance of enhancing the resilience of Vietnam’s international telecommunications network and safeguarding national security, the MIC leadership provided detailed guidance. They advised CMC to thoroughly understand the provisions of the new Land Law and to coordinate closely with the Authority of Telecommunications. The ultimate goal is for the MIC to propose to the Prime Minister a directive for provinces to integrate the planning of submarine cable landing stations into their local land use plans, thereby streamlining the investment process and ensuring robust international connectivity. This intervention highlights the government’s proactive role in facilitating critical infrastructure development by addressing regulatory hurdles. Currently, Vietnam relies on several international submarine cable systems, and diversification and resilience are crucial given the occasional disruptions.
Addressing CMC’s concerns about identifying new development spaces for innovation, Minister Hung offered a broader, more philosophical perspective. He cautioned against solely seeking "greenfield" opportunities – unexplored, virgin territories – and encouraged CMC to also innovate within "brownfield" spaces, areas where many others are already operating. His point was that true innovation lies not just in finding new areas, but in approaching existing ones with fresh, unique, and distinctive methods. "The fields of the Information and Communications industry such as telecommunications, digital technology, digital infrastructure, cyber information security… are always new. Therefore, the industry does not need to worry much about finding new spaces. The question is whether the enterprise dares to do it and does it thoroughly?!" This statement served as a powerful reminder that entrepreneurial courage, deep insight, and thorough execution are paramount, regardless of the perceived "newness" of the domain.
For a company of CMC’s size and ambition, Minister Hung stressed the importance of focusing on foundational work and core digital infrastructure. He suggested that CMC concentrate on developing fundamental elements such as robust Cloud computing platforms and secure Data Centers. These are critical building blocks for the entire digital economy. Additionally, he advised developing essential foundational software that other companies and developers can "stand on" to build their own innovations. This strategy would position CMC as a critical enabler for the broader Vietnamese digital ecosystem, fostering a multiplier effect for national technological advancement and reducing the need for costly foreign foundational services.
Regarding the development of Artificial Intelligence, a key strategic focus for CMC, the Minister advised a pragmatic and impactful approach: concentrating on "narrow AI," specialized AI, custom AI, and AI tailored for specific individuals and businesses. He even suggested that CMC could develop platforms that allow individuals and organizations to create their own virtual assistants by feeding in their proprietary data. This pragmatic guidance encourages a focused, impactful application of AI rather than a diffuse, generalist approach, maximizing the chances of achieving mastery and competitive advantage in specific niches. This aligns with global trends where specialized AI solutions often yield higher value in enterprise applications.
Another crucial directive was the need for CMC to undergo its own internal digital transformation first, before offering such services to other enterprises. "Because from internal digital transformation, the unit will understand many things, know what digital transformation is, and then it will be easier to perform digital transformation for other enterprises," Minister Hung explained. This "practice what you preach" philosophy ensures that CMC develops a deep, experiential understanding of the challenges, complexities, and benefits of digital transformation, making its external offerings more credible, effective, and tailored to real-world needs.
Throughout the session, Minister Hung reiterated that the MIC views itself as the "home" for Vietnamese digital technology enterprises. It is a place where companies can voice their concerns, seek support, and find solutions when facing difficulties. This commitment to being a supportive and collaborative partner was encapsulated in his concluding remark: "The MIC determines that if digital technology enterprises do not develop, the Ministry and the industry also cannot develop, and the national digital transformation story also cannot be done." This statement powerfully aligns the fate of the Ministry and the national digital agenda with the success of private technology firms, reinforcing a collaborative, interdependent model of development where mutual success is paramount.
A Symbol of Partnership and Future Endeavors
As a gesture of this profound partnership and shared vision, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung presented CMC Chairman Nguyen Trung Chinh with two significant books: "Information and Communications Industry" and "Digital Transformation Overview: Strategy & Roadmap." These gifts symbolized the intellectual and strategic foundations upon which Vietnam’s digital future is being built, and the shared responsibility of both government and industry in realizing it. They represent a transfer of knowledge and strategic thinking from the state to a key industry player.
In response, Chairman Nguyen Trung Chinh expressed heartfelt gratitude to Minister Hung, the Deputy Ministers, and the MIC unit leaders for their thorough and dedicated contributions to the discussion. He affirmed CMC’s unwavering commitment to its ambitious development goals and, more importantly, reiterated the corporation’s profound desire to contribute significantly to national development. "To materialize the ambitious goals and development orientations that have been set, in addition to the efforts of the Corporation, we hope to continue to receive the companionship, support, guidance, and assistance from the Ministry of Information and Communications," Mr. Chinh stated. He emphasized CMC’s aspiration to bring Vietnamese intellect to the global stage, thereby solidifying Vietnam’s position internationally. This statement perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the meeting: a dynamic interplay between corporate ambition and national mission, supported by strategic government guidance and collaboration.
Broader Implications for Vietnam’s Digital Future
This high-level meeting between the MIC and CMC Corporation carries significant implications for Vietnam’s digital future. It showcases a robust model of government-industry collaboration, where state leadership actively engages with key private sector players to align corporate strategies with national development goals. This direct, hands-on approach from the MIC can serve as a blueprint for interactions with other leading technology firms, fostering a more cohesive and efficient ecosystem for digital transformation. Such a model is critical for a developing nation seeking to rapidly advance its technological capabilities.
The Minister’s directives, particularly regarding increased R&D investment, mastering core technologies, and focusing on foundational digital infrastructure and specialized AI, are likely to shape future policy incentives and strategic priorities for the entire Vietnamese tech sector. Companies that align their strategies with these national imperatives may find themselves better positioned for government support, partnerships in national projects, and access to resources. This emphasis on "Make in Vietnam" not only boosts the domestic economy and creates high-value jobs but also strengthens national resilience in an increasingly interconnected and digitally dependent world, echoing global trends of technological nationalism and self-sufficiency.
Furthermore, the focus on internal digital transformation for companies like CMC underscores a broader principle: credibility and effectiveness in leading others through digital change come from firsthand experience. This "practice what you preach" approach could lead to a more mature and sophisticated digital transformation service market in Vietnam, driven by companies that truly understand the implementation challenges and can offer proven solutions.
Economically, empowering leading digital technology firms like CMC to grow into international players will significantly contribute to Vietnam’s digital economy, create high-value jobs, and enhance the country’s competitiveness on the global stage. As Vietnam navigates complex geopolitical currents and seeks to elevate its global standing, strengthening its technological independence through indigenous innovation becomes not just an economic advantage but a strategic imperative. The partnership exemplified by this meeting is a testament to Vietnam’s determination to harness the digital revolution for its long-term prosperity and influence, firmly establishing itself in the powerful and prosperous era it envisions. This collaborative spirit between the state and private sector is a key ingredient for achieving these ambitious national goals.
