Why global standards matter in digital world

Nguyen Khang, Regulatory reform attaché British Embassy to Vietnam

This transformation is not only unlocking new opportunities for growth but also redefining how citizens interact with the state, how businesses manage operations, and how society functions in an increasingly connected world.

But as Vietnam races ahead, one reality has become clear: digital transformation cannot succeed without trust. Users must trust the systems they rely on. Investors must trust the market environment. And governments must trust that their digital infrastructure is safe, interoperable, and resilient. This trust relies on more than the adoption of new technologies – it depends on the policies, standards, and governance frameworks that underpin them.

The UK, as one of the world’s most advanced digital economies, is proud to partner with Vietnam in strengthening these foundations. Our cooperation is built on a shared commitment to creating an open, innovative, and secure digital future – one that delivers opportunities for citizens and supports long-term economic resilience.

In recent years, the UK and Vietnam have deepened collaboration across key pillars of digital transformation, from cybersecurity and data protection to digital trade and standards development. This partnership recognises a common challenge faced by all countries: how to scale digital innovation while managing the risks that accompany it.

A UK-supported programme, held in Hanoi recently, delivered in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Security and the British Standards Institution, illustrated how our two countries are translating this shared vision into practical cooperation. The initiative brought together policymakers, regulators, and industry specialists to explore how international standards can help Vietnam strengthen cyber resilience, enhance data governance, and build more interoperable and reliable digital systems.

The event itself was not the headline - it was simply one milestone along a wider path of UK–Vietnam digital cooperation. What matters is the underlying message: as technologies evolve, countries must evolve their governance frameworks alongside them. And international standards offer a powerful, flexible toolkit for doing so.

If digital transformation is the engine of modern growth, international standards are the architecture that makes that engine run safely and efficiently.

Standards such as those on for information security, privacy management, and globally recognised frameworks for cloud services or supply-chain security provide the tools countries need to protect personal data and reduce cyber vulnerabilities; ensure different digital systems can operate securely together; build confidence for domestic and foreign investors; support cross-border digital trade; and strengthen cooperation between government, industry, and international partners.

In other words, standards create a common language for trust. They help ensure that digital products and services are reliable, that data is handled responsibly, and that institutions can respond effectively when disruptions occur.

For Vietnam – where digital services, digital finance, and e-government platforms are expanding quickly – the value of such standards cannot be overstated. They form the invisible infrastructure of a digital economy: not always visible to the public, but essential to protecting users and enabling businesses to thrive.

Crucially, standards are not about imposing foreign models. They are adaptable tools that Vietnam can tailor to its own needs, ensuring alignment with both national priorities and global best practice. In this way, adopting international standards accelerates – not constrains – Vietnam’s innovation.

Digital transformation is not just about deploying technology; it is about building capability. That means investing in people, systems, and policies that can support a digital-first economy.

Throughout recent UK-Vietnam cooperation activities, several priorities consistently emerged: clear, consistent rules aligned with international norms to help reduce risks, encourage investment, and build user confidence; a digitally skilled workforce to manage emerging technologies and respond to cyber threats; enhanced infrastructure resilience to withstand attacks or disruptions, essential for national security and economic continuity; and public–private collaborations, as effective partnerships are necessary to protect supply chains and critical services.

The UK is committed to supporting Vietnam across these areas through continued technical assistance, policy dialogue, and knowledge-sharing programmes.

The digital economy is now the backbone of modern development. Vietnam recognises this, and its digital transformation strategy reflects strong national ambition. But ambition must be matched with governance structures capable of securing the digital environment while enabling innovation to flourish.

This is where international partnerships matter. The UK remains committed to supporting Vietnam as a trusted partner – helping build resilient digital systems, promote interoperable standards, and strengthen the capabilities needed for sustainable digital growth.

Ultimately, digital transformation is not simply a technological journey, but a societal one. It succeeds when citizens feel safe online, when services are reliable and accessible, and when economies are prepared to absorb technological shocks.