Vietnam responds to other countries advising their citizens to stock up on emergency supplies

Vietnam will consider measures suited to its circumstances after several countries advised residents to stock up on enough essential supplies to sustain themselves for several days during emergencies.

During a regular press briefing on Nov. 5, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang was asked to comment on recent advisories from several countries urging their citizens to stockpile three to seven days' worth of essential supplies for emergencies.

"Vietnamese authorities will coordinate to assess potential risks and study measures suited to the country's actual conditions. These will include raising public awareness and guiding people to take preventive measures and respond proactively to incidents while avoiding unnecessary public anxiety," she said.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang. Photo by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Several countries in Europe, including the U.K. and Finland, and in Asia, such as Japan and Thailand, advised their citizens to store enough food, bottled water, and other essentials to remain self-sufficient for at least three days in the event of natural disasters or other emergencies.

Commenting on recent cyberattacks targeting supermarket refrigeration systems in Europe, which caused large quantities of food to spoil, Hang said the incidents demonstrated the expanding threat of cybersecurity risks.

Such attacks could affect not only data and information systems but also production, business operations, supply chains, and people's daily lives, she said.

Supermarkets in France, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Sweden recently saw refrigerator and freezer temperatures rise to as high as 50 degrees Celsius as hackers broke into their systems, forcing many to discard large quantities of foodstuff.

Hang said Vietnam is closely monitoring the situation and strongly condemned cyberattacks and cyberthreats in any form.

She said protecting essential systems, including those in energy, telecommunications, finance, healthcare, transport, and goods supply, is particularly important and requires early, proactive action.

Vietnam would exchange information with international partners, share early warnings, coordinate investigations and efforts to handle cross-border cybercrime, and strengthen its capacity to respond to incidents, she said.

An employee cleans an empty refrigerator at a SuperValu supermarket, Ireland's third-largest supermarket chain, on Nov. 2, 2026 . Photo by Reuters

As the host of the signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, also known as the Hanoi Convention, Vietnam reaffirms its commitment to active and responsible cooperation with the international community in combating cybercrime, she said.

"Our approach is to shift decisively from passive response to proactive prevention, forecasting and preparedness, ensuring cybersecurity is closely linked to protecting essential economic activities and people's daily lives."