Vietnam has announced plans to focus on building a cybersecurity firewall. The statement was delivered by Public Security Minister Lương Tam Quang on Feb. 7, following the closing session of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s 14th National Congress. 

It was the first time a senior official explicitly used the term “cybersecurity firewall” to describe the country’s direction in digital governance. While Vietnam has long been regarded internationally as operating one of the most tightly controlled online environments, authorities had not previously declared an intention to construct what they now describe as a national cybersecurity firewall. 

The announcement coincides with sweeping reforms t...