Bottlenecks that need to be addressed

Following the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), the world is entering a new technological race centred on quantum technology, a field expected to deliver breakthroughs in computing, communications, cybersecurity, sensing, and simulation.

With its potential to overcome the limitations of conventional technologies, quantum technology is regarded as the foundation of the next generation of technologies, capable of shaping a nation's scientific strength, economic development, defence capabilities, and global competitiveness.

The Party and State have identified the development of core and strategic technologies as an urgent requirement for enhancing national self-reliance. Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, issued on December 22, 2024, affirms that science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation are key drivers of national development.

Including quantum technology among the country's strategic technologies not only underscores its importance but also reflects Viet Nam's determination to join the global technology race through systematic, long-term investment aimed at gradually mastering the technologies of the future.

However, there remains a considerable gap between policy orientation and implementation. Quantum technology is an extremely complex field requiring substantial investment, long-term research, and the convergence of multiple scientific disciplines.

Meanwhile, Viet Nam continues to face numerous constraints, including shortages of highly qualified human resources, limited research infrastructure, inadequate investment mechanisms, an underdeveloped innovation ecosystem, and insufficient international cooperation.

According to Dr Nguyen Quoc Hung, Director of the Institute for Quantum Technology under Viet Nam National University, Ha Noi, quantum technology in Viet Nam is still at an early stage, with limited research capacity and operational mechanisms. Research groups remain fragmented and are mainly engaged in theoretical studies, while specialised training programmes are limited. Business participation remains modest and research infrastructure and technical facilities are still inadequate.

Viet Nam has yet to establish a national programme on quantum technology or an inter-sectoral coordination mechanism. The country also lacks sufficient experts and engineers with advanced expertise, while laboratory infrastructure and research equipment remain limited. Financial mechanisms and the evaluation of scientific tasks are not yet suited to a field characterised by long investment cycles and high risks. Coordination among government agencies, research institutes, universities, and businesses also remains weak.

Professor Tran Hong Thai, President of the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, said one of the most urgent reasons for Viet Nam to invest in quantum technology is the need to safeguard information security. Once quantum computers become sufficiently powerful, many encryption systems currently protecting citizens' data, financial transactions, digital infrastructure, and other critical national information may become obsolete.

The strategy of "collecting data today, decoding it later" serves as a very real warning. Important data collected today may be stored and decrypted in the future. Therefore, research into and deployment of post-quantum cryptography should begin immediately.

Building a sustainable cooperation model

Dr Nguyen Quoc Hung said Viet Nam should adopt a focused development strategy, avoid spreading resources too thinly, and soon establish a National Programme on Quantum Technology together with a unified coordination mechanism to generate collective strength for the development of this strategic field.

From another perspective, Associate Professor Tran Quang Dieu, Director of the Centre for Technology and Digital Transformation under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, noted that many countries and regions, including the US, the European Union, Canada, and Denmark, have introduced strategies, legislation, and large-scale investment programmes for quantum technology, while establishing research centres, infrastructure networks, and new information security standards.

This demonstrates that quantum technology has become a decisive factor in national competitiveness. Viet Nam therefore needs to proactively develop appropriate institutions, cultivate human resources, invest in science and technology infrastructure, and strengthen governance capacity to lay the groundwork for mastering strategic technologies in the new context.

The world is entering a new phase of competition in quantum technology, with many countries accelerating long-term strategies and investment. Against this backdrop, Professor Tran Hong Thai stressed that the development of quantum technology requires the participation of government agencies, research institutes, universities, businesses, and domestic and international experts.

The field extends beyond physics to encompass information security, cryptography, defence, security, industry, and innovation, requiring a coordinated development roadmap that effectively mobilises all available resources.

On that basis, the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology has proactively consulted international partners as well as domestic and overseas experts to keep abreast of global trends and assess implementation capacity.

It has also promoted cooperation with ministries, sectors, research institutes, and educational institutions across the country to establish an interdisciplinary network for quantum technology development.

Representatives of Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City said the country should attract experts and scientists, particularly overseas Vietnamese, to participate in teaching, research, co-supervision, and international scientific networking in order to gradually build a high-quality quantum workforce over the next five to ten years. Stronger linkages are also needed among research institutes, universities, and businesses.

Under this model, research institutes would develop core technologies and specialised infrastructure, universities would train human resources and establish interdisciplinary research groups, and businesses would define practical demands and participate in commercialising research outcomes. Such close cooperation would generate synergies and accelerate the development of Viet Nam's first quantum technologies and products.

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