DECISION

APPROVAL FOR STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL FIBER-OPTIC CABLE SYSTEM OF VIETNAM BY 2030, WITH A VISION TOWARD 2035

MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS OF VIETNAM

Pursuant to Decree No. 48/2022/ND-CP dated July 26, 2022 of the Government of Vietnam on functions, tasks, entitlements, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam;

Pursuant to Decision No. 36/QD-TTg dated January 11, 2024 of the Prime Minister of Vietnam on approval for the planning for infrastructures of information and communications during 2021-2030, with a vision toward 2050.

At the request of the Director of the Authority of the Vietnam Telecommunications Authority.

HEREBY DECIDES:

Article 1. Approval for the strategy for the development of the international fiber-optic cable system of Vietnam by 2030, with a vision toward 2035, includes the following contents:

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- Vietnam’s international fiber-optic cable system is an important part of the digital infrastructure. It must be prioritized for investment in modernization and one step ahead, ensuring that Vietnam’s international connection has a super large capacity, a super wide bandwidth, safety, sustainability, and adequate space for specific urban areas to become digital hubs.

- The development of the international fiber-optic cable system aims to develop the autonomous capability in the establishment, implementation, and repair of international fiber-optic cables, ensuring safety for Vietnam’s internet network and meeting the demands for international connections for the development of digital economy, digital society, and national defense and security.

- State-owned enterprises shall be the pioneers in implementing international fiber-optic cables and encouraging domestic and overseas enterprises to participate in the investment and development to swiftly create a breakthrough development of Vietnam's international fiber-optic cable system.

II. VISION TOWARD 2035

Vietnam’s international fiber-optic cable system is in the regional leading group in terms of quantity, capacity, and quality, becoming an advantage in attracting investment in and development of large data centers and large to super large cloud service providers (hyperscale cloud).  Diverse, safe, and sustainable connections for Vietnam to become an important link in the regional and international digital infrastructure and data transmission infrastructure, creation of advantages and motivation for specific urban areas to become digital hubs, and promotion of the development of digital economy, digital society, and digital transformation.

II. OBJECTIVES BY 2030

- To implement and operate at least 10 additional undersea fiber-optic cables with modern technologies, raising the number of Vietnam’s undersea fiber-optic cables to at least 15 cables with a capacity of at least 350 Tbps.

- To implement and operate at least 2 undersea fiber-optic cables owned by Vietnam, directly connected to regional digital hubs.

- To harmoniously allocate the implementation of Vietnam’s undersea fiber-optic cable system following all feasible technical directions: connection to the eastern sea to the north; connection to the eastern sea to the south; connection to the southern sea.

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IV. KEY TASKS

1. Implementation of international fiber-optic cables following roadmaps

- By 2027:

+ To implement and operate 4 additional undersea fiber-optic cables, raising the total capacity to at least 134 Tbps.

+ To continue to maintain at least Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan as the main connection digital hubs.

+ To periodically review and assess digital hubs’ development of schemes for the appropriate maintenance/transfer/addition of connection points in each period.

+ To complete and operate at least 1 undersea fiber-optic cable owned by Vietnam.

+ To implement and operate at least 1 international land fiber-optic cable.

- From 2028 to 2030:

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+ To complete and operate at least 1 additional undersea fiber-optic cable owned by Vietnam.

+ To implement and operate at least 1 additional international land fiber-optic cable.

+ To maintain the maximum connection of 90% of the capacity of undersea fiber-optic cables to at least 4 large digital hubs in Asia.

+ To maintain the backup connection of at least 10% of the capacity of undersea fiber-optic cables to at least 2 large digital hubs in the Americas and Europe.

2. Assurance of safety and sustainability of international fiber-optic cable infrastructures

- To harmoniously implement the following schemes regarding fiber-optic cables oriented toward the southern sea: direct connection to digital hubs and connection to undersea fiber-optic cables following the consortium model.

- To prioritize participation in consortiums that have many components, nations, and multi-directional connections to many digital hubs.

- To periodically review and revise schemes to prioritize connection directions, ensuring harmonious balances among connection directions.

- To ensure that the total design capacity of undersea fiber-optic cables meets the demand for the backup of at least 1+2 (the available capacity is 3 times the actual usage capacity).

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V. SOLUTIONS

1. Organization and apparatus

a) The strength of the political system shall be promoted to accelerate the breakthrough implementation of Vietnam’s international fiber-optic cable infrastructures.

b) Telecommunications enterprises shall be encouraged to develop specialized departments responsible for researching, mastering technologies, and developing and implementing international fiber-optic cable development strategies.

2. Domestic cooperation

a) The Ministry of Information and Communications of Vietnam shall cooperate with relevant ministries and central authorities in the acceleration of the development of large-capacity, multi-directional, safe, and sustainable international fiber-optic cable systems.

b) State authorities shall cooperate with telecommunications enterprises in the planning, difficulty settlement, and consistent implementation of Vietnam’s international fiber-optic cable infrastructures.

c) Domestic telecommunications enterprises shall cooperate in investing in and utilizing Vietnam’s international fiber-optic cable infrastructures.

3. International cooperation

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b) Vietnamese enterprises shall be encouraged and provided with favorable conditions to cooperate with foreign partners in implementing international fiber-optic cables.

4. Research and development

Research on and development of autonomy capacity for designing, developing, protecting, maintaining, and repairing undersea fiber-optic cables shall be promoted.

Article 2. Implementation

1. Telecommunications enterprises shall proactively develop and issue detailed plans and allocate resources and funding for the implementation according to Article 1 of this Decision.

2. The Vietnam Telecommunications Authority shall take charge and cooperate with relevant units under the Ministry in resolving difficulties and encouraging enterprises to swiftly and effectively implement the Strategy. 

3. The Vietnam Telecommunications Authority shall summarize the implementation of the Strategy and submit annual reports to the Minister and Leaders of the Ministry; organize the preliminary review of the implementation of the Strategy in 2027 and propose revisions to key tasks for the following stage.

Article 3. This Decision comes into force as of its date of signing.

Article 4. Chief of the Office, Director of the Vietnam Telecommunications Authority, Presidents and Directors-General of telecommunications enterprises, and Directors of relevant units shall implement this Decision./.

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PP. MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER




Nguyen Huy Dung