Nguyễn Huy Dũng, a standing member of the Central Steering Committee for Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation (second from right) visits a booth showcasing Make in Vietnam products. —Photo courtesy of the firm

HÀ NỘI — Technology companies need to compete fairly with major international players in terms of product quality, pricing and services if they want to survive and grow sustainably, officials and industry leaders said at a cybersecurity event held in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 'Development of Strategic Cybersecurity Solutions' programme organised by SafeGate, Nguyễn Huy Dũng, a standing member of the Central Steering Committee for Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation, stressed that technological self-reliance is essential for Việt Nam’s long-term development.

“As Vietnamese technology firms, we must compete fairly with global corporations through quality, cost and service,” Dũng said.

“The spirit of ‘Make in Vietnam’ is valuable, but Vietnamese products must succeed based on their own competitiveness rather than relying on incentives or advantages in the domestic market.”

The event came as cybersecurity threats continue to rise sharply in Việt Nam. According to the National Cybersecurity Association, the country recorded around 552,000 cyberattacks targeting information systems in 2025.

More than 52 per cent of agencies and enterprises reported being affected by cybersecurity incidents, ranging from data leaks to operational disruptions.

Experts warned that cybercriminals are no longer focused solely on ransomware attacks. Instead, data has become a long-term asset for exploitation, making cybersecurity protection increasingly urgent for businesses and critical infrastructure.

Ngô Tuấn Anh, chairman of SafeGate, said the inclusion of cybersecurity technology in Việt Nam’s list of strategic technologies had encouraged domestic firms to invest more heavily in research and development.

SafeGate introduced five cybersecurity solutions for organisations, businesses and critical information systems, including a smart firewall, a secure connection management gateway, a data loss prevention platform, a one-way data transmission system and a Zero Trust remote access solution.

The company said the products were developed by Vietnamese engineers and use artificial intelligence and cloud computing technologies.

SafeGate also introduced a Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS) model and, in cooperation with MK Group, launched locally made network infrastructure devices including switches and access points.

Dũng highlighted three key directions for Vietnamese technology enterprises: strategic autonomy, smart manufacturing and global thinking.

He said strategic autonomy was a prerequisite for rapid and sustainable growth, adding that companies should focus on technology segments where they have competitive strengths in order to gradually master core technologies.

At the same time, firms need to adopt smart manufacturing models that can adapt quickly to technological changes. Without a strong domestic manufacturing capability, Việt Nam would struggle to achieve long-term economic growth and technological independence, he said.

Dũng also stressed that Vietnamese technology firms could not rely solely on the domestic market, despite the country’s population of more than 100 million people and over one million enterprises.

“The domestic market is important, but it is not large enough for technology companies to achieve sustainable and lasting growth,” he said.

“A global mindset is therefore mandatory for Vietnamese technology enterprises.” — BIZHUB/VNS