Viet Nam is stepping up efforts to shape a safe and responsible artificial intelligence ecosystem, with the country calling for stronger cooperation on AI governance, research, testing and skills development with China and ASEAN member states.
Speaking at the 2026 China–ASEAN Ministerial Roundtable on AI in Nanning, China, Viet Namese Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh said effective AI governance is a foundation for sustainable innovation and ensuring that technological development delivers benefits for people and businesses.
The September 17 meeting brought together officials from China’s AI regulatory authorities, representatives from all 11 ASEAN member states, as well as AI companies, research institutes and financial organisations. Discussions focused on AI safety and ethics, regional governance, risk prevention, industry cooperation and the development of rules covering AI safety and responsible use.
For Viet Nam, the discussions form part of a broader effort to develop AI as a core capability for national development while strengthening safeguards around its use.
Building AI Around People
Viet Nam’s approach places people at the centre of AI development. Minh said AI should serve people rather than replace human authority and responsibility, while its development and application should protect human rights and privacy and uphold fairness, transparency and accountability.
Viet Nam has enacted an AI Law and issued a decree guiding its implementation. It has also approved a national AI strategy through 2030, with a vision to 2045, aimed at advancing AI development alongside safe and responsible governance.
The strategy identifies AI as an important capability for transforming governance, production and service delivery. It places emphasis on developing human resources, computing infrastructure and data, while combining technological development with greater international cooperation and strategic autonomy.
Viet Nam is also seeking to strengthen the foundations required for wider AI adoption. Its national strategy includes priorities spanning talent, data and models, infrastructure, research, governance, business adoption, ecosystem development and trustworthy AI.
Three Priorities For Regional Cooperation
At the China–ASEAN roundtable, Viet Nam proposed three areas for deeper cooperation.
The first is stronger policy dialogue and experience-sharing on AI governance. Viet Nam wants to share its experience in developing legal frameworks while learning from approaches adopted by other countries. ASEAN’s existing guidelines on AI governance and ethics, including generative AI, can provide a reference for improving understanding and compatibility between different regulatory approaches.
The second priority is cooperation in AI research, testing and safety assessment. Viet Nam proposed stronger connections between research institutes, universities and businesses to support joint research, risk-assessment methods and technical standards. It also highlighted the need for AI development and testing to consider linguistic and cultural characteristics, data protection and the legitimate rights and interests of stakeholders.
The third priority is AI workforce development. Viet Nam is seeking greater cooperation in training, expert exchanges and capacity building for AI developers, regulators and users. The country also sees regional cooperation as a way to narrow differences in AI capabilities and help people and businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, access and apply AI safely.
Expanding Viet Nam’s AI Capabilities
Viet Nam’s focus on regional cooperation comes as it seeks to build stronger domestic AI capabilities. Its national strategy targets greater AI research, development and application, supported by computing infrastructure, data resources and Vietnamese-language AI models.
The country also signed an agreement in July to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation, reflecting its interest in multilateral cooperation around peaceful, safe and inclusive AI development.
For Viet Nam, the next phase of AI development therefore combines domestic capability building with international engagement. Minh said a safe AI future depends on the governance capacity of individual countries as well as trust between partners.
Through deeper cooperation with China and ASEAN, Viet Nam is seeking to strengthen both elements while supporting the responsible adoption of AI across the region.
Source: Opengovasia
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<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
