National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn speaks at the working session. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI —

Digital transformation in the National Assembly (NA) must go beyond technology investment and deliver tangible improvements in governance, operational efficiency and decision-making, NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn said on Wednesday as lawmakers moved to accelerate reforms driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation.

Mẫn made the remarks while chairing a working session with the NA’s Steering Committee for national scientific and technological development, innovation and digital transformation, as well as the NA’s Digital Transformation Steering Committee.

At the meeting, the NA Chairman stressed that digital transformation must be substantive rather than symbolic and must deliver real effectiveness in practice.

Acknowledging and highly commending the efforts and proactive approach of the two steering committees since the Politburo issued Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, Mẫn noted that the initial results had been positive and had received praise from Party General Secretary Tô Lâm.

Regarding the reorganisation of the steering committees, the NA Chairman assigned NA Permanent Deputy Chairman Đỗ Văn Chiến to direct the merger of the two committees into a single body, propose a list of members for approval by the NA Standing Committee, and amend or replace relevant resolutions.

He also called for the continued rollout of training materials on digital skills for NA officials and civil servants to ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired can be applied effectively in practice.

The steering committee was also tasked with studying and developing lessons and scenarios with greater practical relevance to the NA’s operations.

Regarding the application of AI in the 2026-27 period, the NA Chairman outlined an operational model based on a “three-legged stool”, comprising the person assigning the task or identifying the problem, AI experts, and infrastructure units.

He stressed that AI must be integrated into the NA’s core activities, including lawmaking, oversight, decision-making on major national issues, foreign affairs, deputies’ activities, public petitions and other related areas.

The NA Chairman also called for the development of a collaborative ecosystem at both domestic and international levels, linking the NA with parliaments worldwide and Việt Nam’s AI community.

In the near future, the NA plans to study the establishment of a dedicated AI Centre to directly support legislative work, supreme oversight, decision-making on major national issues and cooperation with parliaments around the world.

Strategic asset

Regarding digital transformation within the NA, the chairman urged the NA Office to proactively address existing shortcomings and accelerate the official rollout of digital systems, software and platforms that have already undergone successful pilot testing.

In particular, as multiple tasks are being implemented simultaneously, priorities must be identified to determine which software and applications should be deployed first. A review should be conducted to establish this list of priorities and completion timelines, with a report to be submitted to NA leaders by July this year.

Mẫn stressed that the NA Office must advise the Steering Committee on directing the synchronised implementation of digital transformation tasks.

Digital transformation, he said, must go hand in hand with innovation in working methods, improvements in work quality, administrative reform, and the evaluation of task performance by organisations and individuals.

At the same time, the NA should continue updating and issuing Version 2.0 of the Digital National Assembly Architecture in line with the national digital architecture framework, while ensuring compatibility with digital transformation activities in Party agencies and integration with national digital platforms and shared sectoral digital platforms. This work is expected to be completed this year.

On improving the NA’s digital data centre and enhancing data quality, the chairman stressed that data must be regarded as a strategic asset of the NA, serving as the foundation for developing and issuing the NA’s Digital Data Strategy, as well as a plan to digitise archival repositories while ensuring connectivity and data sharing with the national data centre and the political system’s data infrastructure.

Mẫn also called for the urgent implementation of the Secure Network and the shared Secure Operations System for NA agencies, with completion targeted by the end of next month.

The NA Chairman further highlighted the need to develop digital human resources and digital culture, attract experts, and finalise regulations, procedures, coordination mechanisms and a set of criteria for evaluating digital transformation.

For NA agencies, he proposed strengthening responsibility for participation in the testing and evaluation of information systems and digital applications. Agencies should encourage officials and civil servants to regularly take part in testing and using these systems.

Mẫn expressed confidence that, with the determination of NA leaders, the steering committees, the NA Office, NA agencies and support from technology units, the implementation of Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW and the NA’s digital transformation agenda for this year and the 2026-30 period would achieve clear and substantive progress, contributing to the goal of double-digit economic growth. — VNS