Smart city exhibition opens in Hanoi
Smart City Asia - Vietnam Forum and Exhibition (Smart City Asia) is an initiative of the Institute of Innovation and Digital Transformation and Exporum Korea company. The event is organized by the National Digital Transformation Agency and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Smart City Asia has taken place for 5 seasons in Ho Chi Minh City, focusing on smart urban issues, technology, data and management. This year, the event was held in Hanoi, gathering 200 units from more than 10 countries and territories, with many investment connection and signing activities.
Speaking at the opening morning of October 8, Mr. Hoang Huu Hanh, Deputy Director of the National Digital Transformation Department, said that the Ministry of Science and Technology is translating policies on science and technology, innovation and digital transformation into specific values, from institutions, infrastructure, data to human resources and innovation ecosystems.
"Smart City Asia 2026 Forum and Exhibition is a place to connect and replicate those values," Mr. Hanh said, adding that the series of events takes place continuously for three days, associated with the celebration of National Digital Transformation Day and the High-Level Forum on Digital Transformation.
Through a series of events, the Ministry of Science and Technology conveys the message that digital transformation needs to be measured by the value created for people and businesses, not by the number of systems.
One of the contents mentioned is the application of AI in smart cities. According to Mr. Hanh, AI is the "intellectual infrastructure" of the urban government, but also raises institutional, safety and privacy issues.
"Data and AI can only create trust when accompanied by institutions, safety and clear responsibilities," he said.
The third message that the Ministry of Science and Technology wants to convey through a series of exhibitions and forums, according to the Deputy Director, is that innovation will come from cooperation between the state, businesses, fields and international partners.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Bich Lan, Director of the Institute of Innovation and Digital Transformation (VIDTI), said that today's smart cities are no longer a story of technology alone. It is a story about "management capacity, data, people, culture and quality of life", Ms. Lan said.
According to her, problems need to be connected between policy and technology, urban problems with business solutions, data with decision-making capacity, and technology with people's lives.
This year's National Digital Transformation Day has the theme "From architecture, platform, data to substantive results, improving national governance efficiency". The series of events takes place over three days, October 8-10, at the National Exhibition Center (VEC), Hanoi. The main event is the welcome program on October 9, along with side activities including high-level forums, thematic forums, and Smart City Asia exhibition with more than 200 booths.
Trong Dat