A strategy for this would be approved no later than the second quarter this year, he said at a meeting held on Wednesday to discuss Vietnam's e-government development plans.

The entire administrative system would migrate online by "using data and digital technologies to redesign government operations," he said.

The target of basically having an e-government this year would be achieved, with basic services going online enabling the start of digital government in 2025, he explained.

"We need stable funding for development of an e-government. Each locality, ministry and department can use 1 percent of their annual budget for this."

It was announced at the meeting that 55 percent of public services are available online now, enabling the public to complete procedures and make payments online instead of having to show up at government offices and queue up.

The government had last June unveiled plans for creating a digital nation by 2025.

The program aims to have 80 percent of level 4 public services, which allow online fee payment, provided on multiple devices, and 90 percent of documents at ministry and province levels and 80 percent at the district level processed online by 2025.

The program, which is expected to give rise to digital businesses that can compete globally, aims to increase the rates to 100 percent and 90 percent by 2030.

Confidential documents will not be processed online.

All national databases related to population, land, business registration, finance, and others would be made public by 2025.

Last year Vietnam climbed two spots to 86th in the biennial E-Government Development Index put out by the United Nations on the status of e-governance in various countries.

But it remained a laggard in Southeast Asia, only sixth behind Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, and the Philippines.

Along with an assessment of local website development patterns, the ranking incorporates access characteristics like infrastructure and educational levels to reflect how a country is using information technology to promote access and inclusion for its citizens.

It measured 193 countries and territories based on three important aspects of e-government: availability of online services, telecommunications infrastructure and human capacity.