Ha Trang, a second-year student at a university in Ha Noi, often downloads study materials from the internet and watches films on free websites. “As a student with limited finances, there are not many choices,” Ha Trang said.
After attending a recent lesson on intellectual property, she realised that behind every e-book, song or film is the labour of many people.
Seemingly harmless habits
According to Le Huy Anh, Deputy Director of the Intellectual Property Office under the Ministry of Science and Technology, information in the digital environment is shared very quickly, and many people still consider the free use of intellectual products to be normal. From e-books, films and music to computer software, many products are still copied, distributed and used illegally.
“Most of these acts do not stem from deliberate intent to violate the law, but from a lack of understanding or habits formed over a long period of time. However, in the context of an economy increasingly based on knowledge, technology and innovation, awareness of intellectual property is becoming an important factor in competitiveness,” Le Huy Anh affirmed.
In the past, tangible assets such as land, factories or machinery were regarded as the main resources for growth. Today, intangible assets such as inventions, software, brands, data and creative products are playing an increasingly decisive role. This also means that intellectual property is no longer a matter only for scientists, businesses or management agencies. It is directly related to every individual in digital life.
With Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, the Politburo affirmed the need to create breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation in order to improve labour productivity, growth quality and the competitiveness of the economy. In that picture, intellectual property is increasingly seen as an important component of the innovation ecosystem.
According to lawyer Nguyen Thanh Ha from SB Law, intellectual property rights not only protect the interests of authors or businesses but also help protect the country’s creative environment. Behind every invention, work or technological solution is a process of investment in effort, time and resources. If these achievements are not effectively protected, the motivation for creativity and investment in research and development will be affected.
This awareness is also being clearly reflected in major guidelines of the Party and State. Conclusion No. 51-KL/TW of the Politburo on continuing to implement Directive No. 36-CT/TW emphasised the requirement to improve the effectiveness of intellectual property work in the new situation, considering intellectual property rights an important resource serving economic, social, scientific and technological development and innovation.
At the same time, the legal system on intellectual property continues to be improved in a direction consistent with international commitments and the development requirements of the digital economy. Many new regulations have been added to strengthen copyright protection in the online environment, promote technology transfer and commercialise research results.
According to Le Huy Anh, Deputy Director of the Intellectual Property Office, in the knowledge economy, intellectual property is becoming an important resource for economic growth and national competitiveness. He said that intellectual property is not only a tool to protect the rights of creative entities, but also a mechanism to encourage research activities, promote technology transfer and bring research results into practice.
“To develop an effective innovation ecosystem, it is necessary to create an environment in which intellectual assets are protected, exploited and commercialised in a convenient manner,” Le Huy Anh shared.
These efforts are gradually being reflected in international indicators. According to the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025 announced by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Viet Nam continued to maintain its 44th position among 139 countries and economies ranked.
Viet Nam’s continued ranking among economies with outstanding innovation performance shows positive changes in the process of building an economy based on knowledge and technology. However, to make further progress, improving the environment for the protection and exploitation of intellectual property remains an important requirement.
Numerous positive changes
Along with institutional improvement, the enforcement of intellectual property rights has also recorded many positive changes in recent times. According to lawyer Tran Thanh Ha: “To have more innovative products, it is first necessary to build an environment in which creative achievements are respected and protected. This is not only the responsibility of management agencies but also requires the participation of the whole society.”
The results of implementing Official Telegram No. 38/CD-TTg of the Prime Minister on focusing on directing the drastic implementation of solutions to combat, prevent and handle acts of intellectual property rights infringement show great determination and efforts to restore a creative, production and business environment that respects intellectual labour.
However, the expert affirmed that, more importantly, after Official Telegram 38, Viet Nam needs to carry out intellectual property rights protection activities regularly, with the proactive participation of functional agencies.
“We should not act only in the form of a campaign, after which everything returns to normal once the campaign ends. Enforcement needs to be carried out proactively, drastically and regularly, with sufficient deterrence. This will help form new habits in the community. In particular, our children need to be educated in a culture of respecting intellect and creativity from the time they are still at school,” lawyer Tran Thanh Ha said.
According to Le Huy Anh, building an intellectual property culture needs to start from schools, families, businesses and the community. “When the culture of respecting intellectual property becomes a standard of behaviour in society, it will also be an important foundation for innovation,” he emphasised.
Returning to Ha Trang, after gaining a better understanding of copyright, the young student has changed many habits in studying and entertainment. Pirated websites have gradually been left behind. That change may not be large, but it also reflects a shift in awareness in society.
In the modern economy, every protected invention, every respected work and every act of responsible use of intellectual property not only helps protect creators but also builds a foundation for the country’s sustainable development.
