Vietnam has launched an online system where official documents can be signed electronically and sent between government agencies and bodies of all levels at an instant, with its government at the forefront of dropping paper-based documents for good.

The initiative is expected to help save over VND1.3 trillion (US$56.3 million) each year by cutting down costs associated with postal services, printing papers and ink, and time consumption, according to the Government Office.

Development and implementation of this national e-document system was moved forward at incredible speed thanks to drastic directions from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Minister and Chairman of the Office of the Government Mai Tien Dung told Tuoi Tre (Youth) in an exclusive interview.

The system began its first test run on January 19 this year and was officially launched less than two months later, on March 12.

It is a stepping stone to the launch of Vietnam’s unified portal for public services later this year, which will allow government bodies to access data from one another’s database at ease with an Internet connection, Dung said.

To encourage use of this online system, the Office of the Government has already stopped sending or receiving physical documents since October 2018, he said.

“Any physical papers sent by organizations or individuals to the Government Office will be returned immediately,” Dung stressed.

Residents look up information on the planning of Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City via an online portal. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

By allowing those in charge to sign documents electronically through mobile devices regardless of their physical location, the system is expected to significantly improve the work efficiency of government officials.

“Before the system went online, I used to sit in my office until 9:00 pm signing documents physically,” Dung said.

“With this new system I can sign all documents instantly even during a business trip,” he added.

Starting Monday, the Vietnamese PM and deputy PMs have also stopped sending and receiving paper-based documents entirely to set an example for lower-level officials.

In June, Vietnam will launch an eCabinet system that allows cabinet members to give their opinion and vote on government issues electronically through fingerprint authentication, effectively reducing the frequency of government meetings.

Information on an issue under discussion will also be provided to all ministers via this system prior to a meeting, which cuts down on costs of having these documents printed and saves time reading lengthy reports.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!