Da Nang (VNA) – The 60th meeting of the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC 60) opened in the central city of Da Nang on September 9, seeking ways to promote Internet safety and development.
The event, hosted by the Vietnam Internet Network Information Centre (VNNIC) under the Ministry of Science and Technology, attracted the participation of 500 domestic and international delegates.
It focused on policies for Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and Autonomous System Numbers (ASN), along with orientations for developing and ensuring global Internet safety, including such issues as quantum Internet, the utilisation of Internet resources, IPv6 deployment, artificial intelligence (AI) application, and secure routing.
Nguyen Hong Thang, Director of the VNNIC, stressed that hosting APNIC 60 provides Vietnam with an opportunity to showcase its pioneering role in policy making in the region, develop next-generation Internet infrastructure, advance technical cooperation, share experience, and connect with global initiatives, and towards a safe, open, and innovative Internet. He noted that the Internet today is not merely a technology but an essential infrastructure underpinning socio-economic development, innovation, and digital transformation. It has become a vital space connecting people, nations, and ideas.
For decades, the APNIC has played a central role in the Asia-Pacific Internet ecosystem by managing digital resources, building communities, and strengthening capacity, thereby contributing to trust, resilience, and sustainable Internet growth across the region.
Founded in 1993, the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre is one of the world’s five Regional Internet Registries. The APNIC convenes two meetings annually. It is the region’s highest-level meeting on developing policies for IP/ASN management and also serves as a forum for the Internet community. Here, experts meet and share experiences on policies and technologies related to Internet resources in the Asia-Pacific region.
Since 2003, the Vietnam Internet Network Information Centre has been recognised as Vietnam’s National Internet Registry and has repeatedly hosted the APNIC’s major regional conferences. APNIC 60 is of particular significance as it marks the 25th anniversary of the VNNIC and more than 27 years since Vietnam’s first global Internet connection.
With an IPv6 adoption rate of 65%, Vietnam now ranks among the world’s top 10 countries in deploying next-generation Internet protocols.
The conference provided a platform for Vietnam to update new technologies, share challenges and solutions, and strengthen community ties.
The September 9 plenary session featured speeches by prominent international speakers including Kenny Huang, Chair of the APNIC Executive Council; Jia Rong Low, APNIC Director General; Leslie Daigle, Chief Technical Officer and Internet Integrity Programme Director at the Global Cyber Alliance; and René Fichtmüller, expert at Flexoptix, among others.
Delegates proposed regional Internet resource management policies and joined Special Interest Group (SIG) discussions on emerging trends such as IPv6/IPv6-only deployment, DNS security, RPKI, the application of AI in Internet networks, as well as data centre development and Internet exchange ecosystems.
Within the APNIC 60 framework, the 32nd meeting of the Asia Pacific Internet Exchange Association (APIX 32) was also held. This is the region’s premier forum on Internet exchange (IX) connectivity, drawing leading organisations, experts, and businesses from across Asia-Pacific. At this meeting, the VNNIC stepped up international cooperation to further develop VNIX – Vietnam’s National Internet Exchange.
On the sidelines, the VNNIC organised bilateral meetings and signed memoranda of understanding with several international organisations to strengthen collaboration.
According to the VNNIC, 27 years since first connecting to the Internet, Vietnam has achieved remarkable milestones. The rate of the Route Origin Authorisation (a high-level Internet security mechanism) is very high, with 96% of IPv4 routes being valid. Vietnam also ranks among the world’s top 10 countries in IPv6 deployment, with a rate of 65%. The Vietnamese Internet community continues to grow strongly, with a highly skilled technical workforce, closer cooperation, and deeper integration into global initiatives./.
