Smart city development is expected to become a major driver of Vietnam’s economic growth by improving productivity, expanding development space, and accelerating national digital transformation, while creating new growth poles powered by data, innovation, and modern governance. Urban areas currently contribute around 70% of Vietnam’s GDP. However, rapid urbanisation has also increased pressure on transport infrastructure, the environment, energy supply, and resident management. Experts warned that if cities continue to develop under traditional models, room for their growth will gradually narrow. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, said Vietnam must create new development spaces based on technology and innovation to achieve high growth targets. Urban areas, he noted, are where data, knowledge, and labour productivity are concentrated most strongly. “Smart urban development is not simply about installing technology. It is about transforming the growth model and operating cities through data and modern governance,” Thien said. One of the key requirements set out in Politburo Resolution No. 57 on breakthroughs in science – technology development, innovation, and national digital transformation is the standardisation of digital infrastructure and the development of national digital data. This is considered a prerequisite for sustainable smart city development. This year, the Ministry of Science and Technology will continue promoting standardisation in core areas of the digital economy. A total of 53 new standards are expected to focus on data and data centres, online public services, urban data models, e-transactions, and information security. Notably, standards for smart cities account for a significant share, including those related to data sharing, cybersecurity, and information and communications technology infrastructure. Experts said standardising data will help avoid fragmented development and weak connectivity among localities. Dr. Vo Tri Thanh, Director of the Institute for Brand and Competitiveness Strategy, said the greatest advantage of smart