The circular applies to all state-offices – political organisations, social organisations and armed forces - and says that other economic sectors should prioritise local IT products over imported ones.

HCM City (Biz Hub) — The Ministry of Information and Telecommunications has released a new circular, which decrees that any IT projects funded by the state budget, must buy local products first.

The circular applies to all state-offices – political organisations, social organisations and armed forces - and says that other economic sectors should prioritise local IT products over imported ones.

To be considered a local product, it must be produced in Viet Nam by a Vietnamese legal entity or individual who owns a majority share of the company, it must be a registered brand name in Viet Nam and have technical guidelines printed in Vietnamese and a clear guarantee and maintenance policy. It must also detail the responsibility of the service provider.

The circular specifies what kind of products may be used, such as hardware, electronics, software, digital content and IT services.

All offices and departments that use the state budget for IT investment must follow the circular. Special approval must be given if non-local products are used due to a specific technical requirement.

The circular will come into effect on April 8. — VNS