Vietnam is entering the decisive stage of digital transformation, when all activities - from economy, national defense, education to healthcare... are operated on a data platform.
Therefore, the National Assembly's consideration and completion of the Law on Cyber Security (amended) is one of the important and timely moves to establish national digital sovereignty - a new shield in the data era.
If the territorial border is determined by landmarks and boundaries, the digital border is drawn with data and network infrastructure. Every personal information, every data package on user behavior, business or public authority... are all "national assets" in the true sense of the digital age.
However, in recent times, those "assets" have been leaked, bought and sold, and even manipulated on cross-border platforms, most of which are not located in Vietnam.
As many cybersecurity experts have said: A country can be strong in infrastructure, but if it cannot control data flows and cannot control internet gates, it is like a sky without radar.
In such a context, the Law on Cyber Security (amended) being reviewed and finalized by the National Assembly and the Hanoi Convention on combating cybercrime that Vietnam and 72 countries have just signed are two pillars to establish a solid "digital border".
If domestic law creates a legal basis to protect key information systems, then international conventions help us reach out to the world, cooperate to break up cross-border criminal networks - something that a single country cannot do.
However, cybersecurity is only a necessary condition. The sufficient condition is digital sovereignty, meaning that Vietnam must master the data infrastructure, proactively implement technical standards, self-develop and store data domestically, and not be dependent on foreign platforms. This is the only way to ensure national security, personal safety and social stability in cyberspace.
Completing cybersecurity institutions is not only to prevent and punish crimes, but also to create digital trust - the foundation for sustainable development of the digital economy and digital society.
When people are assured that their data is protected and businesses trust a safe digital environment, cyberspace will truly become a growth driver.
If traditional borders are protected by armed forces, the country's digital borders must be protected by institutions, technology and the autonomy of the Vietnamese people themselves.
Autonomous capacity is the most sustainable shield in the data era.
