Vietnam continues to improve the effectiveness of intellectual property rights enforcement
Vietnam is implementing coordinated efforts to protect intellectual property rights (IPR) while promoting cooperation with the US in strategic technology fields.
On 9 June, 2026, in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of Vietnam Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) Hoang Minh held a working session with Mr. Daniel Kritenbrink, former US Ambassador to Vietnam, Partner at The Asia Group (TAG), together with the Group’s delegation.
At the meeting, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh stated that Vietnam has recently implemented comprehensive and determined measures from the central to local levels to improve the effectiveness of IPR enforcement, strengthen inter-agency coordination, and strictly handle violations.
Relevant authorities, including the police, market surveillance forces, customs authorities, state management agencies on intellectual property (IP), and other related units, have proactively coordinated in inspecting, verifying, and handling cases showing signs of IPR infringement, particularly in the digital environment, e-commerce activities, and import-export operations.
In less than one month, from 7 May to 30 May 2026, many Vietnamese authorities detected and handled more than 2,000 violation cases. The number of administrative violation cases handled nationwide reached nearly four times the monthly average recorded in 2025.
Many localities recorded significant increases in the number of handled cases, reflecting a clear shift from passive response to proactive detection, inspection, and enforcement.
Deputy Minister Hoang Minh emphasised that these results demonstrate Vietnam’s strong commitment to protecting IPR, while contributing to strengthening the confidence of the business community and international investors.
On this occasion, the Deputy Minister encouraged Mr. Daniel Kritenbrink to continue sharing objective views on Vietnam’s efforts in IPR enforcement and to provide positive comments during the evaluation process conducted by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
Following Deputy Minister Hoang Minh’s remarks, Mr. Daniel Kritenbrink highly appreciated Vietnam’s efforts in the field of IP.
According to him, many US intellectual property organisations and associations have also recognised Vietnam’s progress, particularly in addressing copyright infringement in the digital environment.
Discussing Vietnam’s orientation for science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation (STI and DT), Deputy Minister Hoang Minh emphasised that Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW is the first thematic resolution with a systematic and comprehensive approach on breakthroughs in STI and national DT, directly guided by General Secretary and President To Lam.
The Resolution is being implemented with strong political determination and is creating significant changes in both awareness and action across Vietnam’s political system.
According to the Deputy Minister, Vietnam identifies STI and DT as important drivers for renewing its development model and achieving double-digit economic growth in the coming period.
To realise this goal, Vietnam has announced a list of 10 strategic technologies and 30 strategic product groups. At the same time, science and technology programmes, the development of key laboratories, and the promotion of the innovation startup ecosystem are being implemented.
The Deputy Minister noted that in 2025, the MoST took the lead in developing and revising 10 laws and 23 decrees to improve the legal framework for STI and DT.
Mr. Daniel Kritenbrink also expressed confidence in Vietnam’s development prospects, particularly in the implementation of Resolution No. 57.
Regarding opportunities for Vietnam-US cooperation, Mr. Daniel Kritenbrink stated that Vietnam is becoming an attractive destination for international technology enterprises, especially in semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), data infrastructure, and high-quality technology human resource development.
According to him, TAG is currently supporting connections between many international enterprises and Vietnam, including major technology corporations seeking opportunities to expand investment and cooperation.
Deputy Minister Hoang Minh affirmed that the MoST always welcomes international partners to participate in the development of STI in Vietnam, particularly projects involving high technologies and technology transfer.
The Deputy Minister also suggested that TAG continue to play its role as a bridge, strengthening connections between technology partners, international investors, and Vietnam.
Deputy Minister Hoang Minh and former Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink agreed to continue enhancing exchanges and expanding cooperation in STI and DT, thereby contributing to further deepening the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Copyright belongs to the Vietnam Journal of Science and Technology (VJST-MOST)