Immediately following the Government's issuance of Decree No. 224/2026/NĐ-CP detailing several articles and measures to implement the Law on Digital Transformation, the Hai Phong City People's Committee moved quickly to direct relevant departments to develop a specific Implementation Plan. This is considered a key step to standardize the legal framework and create momentum for the city's digital economy and digital society to ensure synchronization and timeliness in the state management of digital transformation.
Decree 224: The Legal "Backbone" for the Digital Era
Decree No. 224/2026/NĐ-CP, issued by the Government on June 24, 2026, is a vital regulatory document that details many crucial provisions of the Law on Digital Transformation. The scope of the Decree covers everything from national digital transformation strategies and programs to specific implementation measures such as providing online public services, investment management, and specific mechanisms for testing and developing digital technology.
A notable point of the Decree is the establishment of principles for digital system architecture and design. This helps localities like Hai Phong avoid fragmented or overlapping investments and ensures that systems can be connected and interlinked. The Decree also clearly stipulates the priority for developing shared digital platforms, data infrastructure, and ensuring cybersecurity from the design stage.
Furthermore, Decree 224 clearly defines Proactive Online Public Services. This is a service model where state agencies do not just wait for citizens to make requests but actively remind and support them in preparing documents based on available data, thereby reducing time and compliance costs for society.
Core Tasks and Budget Decentralization
For a major urban center like Hai Phong, managing financial resources for digital transformation is a critical issue. Decree 224 dedicates a specific chapter to regulating state budget expenditure tasks and the decentralization of these tasks between the Central and local governments.
Recurring expenditure tasks for digital transformation include: hiring experts, training and fostering digital capacity for officials, operating and maintaining systems, and information and communication activities. Meanwhile, development investment will focus on building new or upgrading digital platforms, information systems, and vital databases. Clearly defining expenditure responsibilities allows Hai Phong to be more proactive in annual budgeting and allocation, ensuring the sustainability of technology projects.
Expectations for Growth as a Global Connection City
The implementation of Decree 224 in Hai Phong is not merely about legal compliance; it is closely linked to the goal of building Hai Phong into a "Global Connection City". The Decree’s national digital transformation strategy emphasizes a citizen- and business-centric approach, creating the most favorable conditions for every individual to access safe and effective digital services.
The Department of Science and Technology, as the lead unit, is expected to advise the city on a practical action plan focusing on Hai Phong’s strengths, such as seaports, logistics, smart city management, and full-process online public services.
The combination of a strict legal framework from Decree 224 and proactive implementation by the local government will be a significant lever. If the plan is approved and implemented on schedule, Hai Phong will soon perfect a transparent and effective digital ecosystem, contributing to enhanced competitiveness and an improved quality of life for its citizens in the coming time.