Currently, many businesses, units and individuals are gradually forming the habit of using digital signatures when doing transactions in the online environment.

Many businesses approach customers to popularise and increase the recognition of digital signatures. Photo: CHIEN THANG

According to the National Electronic Authentication Center, in 2022, there were 1,959,792 active digital certificates, an increase of 20.14% compared to 2021. Promoting the development of digital signatures has made an important contribution to building digital citizens, and creating the foundation for a sustainable digital society.

In recent years, the city has witnessed positive results in applying digital signatures in such fields as tax, customs, social insurance, State treasury and bidding, especially electronic invoices and electronic contracts. This has contributed to modernising administrative procedures, providing safe and reliable digital services, boosting digital transformation, and developing digital government, digital economy and digital society.

Under the Prime Minister-issued Decision No. 411/QD-TTg dated March 31, 2022 on approving the "National strategy for developing digital economy and digital society until 2025 with orientation to 2030", digital signatures and digital signature authentication services are identified as an important legal foundation in the process of ensuring safety, authenticity, integrity, and transparency for electronic transactions of organisations, businesses, and people in the digital environment.

Mr. Tran Minh Canh, Deputy Head of Sales Department of a city-based business, said since he used digital signatures, he has stopped worrying about flight delays and cancellations or other impacts when signing a contract.

“In addition, I also save a lot of time and efforts in carrying out public administrative procedures. As long as I have a device connected to the internet at home, I can carry out procedures, transactions, and contracts without having to worry about anything. I think digital signatures will be developed and improved even more in the future" he added.

As a young business in the city, the Fivess Technology JSC has effectively applied the digital transformation process, including electronic digital signatures.

Mr. Do Quy Su, General Director of the company, said that, currently, his business uses 100% digital signatures and digital certificates, mainly in services such as tax declaration, customs, and social insurance.

He noted digital signatures are considered one of the most important digital assets, and an indispensable link in the city's development and digital transformation orientation.

Similarly, Mr. Dang Ngoc Hai, General Secretary of the Da Nang Software Business Association highlighted the importance of the application of digital signatures in the digital transformation process.

He remarked, in the recent Electronic Transactions Law 2023, there are many important regulations on digital signatures, creating favorable conditions for the application of digital signatures in all activities in the online environment.

The widespread application of digital signatures will increase the trust of people, businesses and organizations when conducting transactions in the online environment, thereby improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public services provided to people and businesses.

Director of the Representative Office of the MISA JSC in Da Nang Nguyen Hong Hai shared that recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of businesses and individuals using corporate digital signatures.

Therefore, in recent times, the MISA company has issued and given away digital signatures and a year free use of personal digital signatures MISA eSign with full utilities, with no limit on the number of visits to help businesses and people gradually change their habits. The move aims to encourage people to use remote digital signature services to carry out administrative procedures in the online environment, hereby contributing to promoting digital transformation in the city.

As of September 2023, the whole country had over 2.2 million active digital certificates, of which about 1.7 million digital certificates for businesses and organisations and more than 540,000 active individual digital certificates.

Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications Tran Ngoc Thach said that the development of digital signatures will create favourable conditions for people and businesses in performing online public services. Currently, the city has integrated a remote digital signature solution into the information system to handle administrative procedures.

In the near future, the municipal Department of Information and Communications will coordinate with agencies and units to organise propaganda conferences about digital signatures and digital signature authentication services among agencies, organisations, and businesses.

Last but not least, Da Nang will continue to promote digitalisation, and gradually establish and developthe city's shared data warehouse, aiming for each citisen to have a smartphone, with electronic identity, personal digital signature, digital payment account, account to use online public services, and software to protect people.

Reporting by CHIEN THANG - Translating by M.DUNG