High-tech FDI creates momentum for Vietnam's economic development

High-tech FDI helps "elevate" Vietnam's economy

With the increasing attraction of high-tech projects, Vietnam is moving away from its position as a low-cost factory to become a center of high-tech manufacturing and innovation. This is an opinion that has been made a lot recently.

In fact, since the large-scale investments of Intel and Samsung, there has been a wave of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the high-tech sector in Vietnam in recent times, with projects worth hundreds, even billions of USD.

Most recently, Luxshare-ICT invested 300 million USD in a smartphone manufacturing project in Bac Ninh . Goertek also increased its investment capital to 540 million USD for an electronics project in the Nam Son - Hap Linh Industrial Park. Earlier this year, Samsung Display invested more than 1 billion USD in a project in the Yen Phong Industrial Park...

Meanwhile, both NVIDIA and Qualcomm have recently decided to invest in R&D activities in the fields of semiconductors and AI in Vietnam. In addition, there are also a series of big names, such as Marvell, Foxconn, Amkor, HanaMicron...

After Samsung set up its production base in Vietnam, a series of other technology "giants" also chose Vietnam as their destination.

“Vietnam is becoming a strategic stronghold for the world's leading technology corporations,” Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung said.

The increasing number of these projects has contributed significantly to the development of Vietnam's socio-economy. Just one example is that since the emergence of technology "giants", Vietnam's export turnover has accelerated very quickly, and importantly, the export structure has shifted strongly to the processing and manufacturing industry, especially in the fields of electronics, semiconductors, etc.

Figures from the Customs Department show that, as of mid-September 2025, the export turnover of three groups of products: computers, phones and components, machinery, equipment and other spare parts - with the main contribution of FDI enterprises - has reached nearly 131 billion USD, accounting for over 46% of the country's total export turnover.

But not only contributing to exports, the emergence of high-tech FDI projects can be said to "elevate" Vietnam's position on the world technology map, turning this Southeast Asian country into an indispensable part of the global value chain and an important link on the global technology map.

In a study released not long ago, a representative of Savills Vietnam affirmed that Vietnam has transformed from a traditional manufacturing process with companies focusing on finding lower labor costs, into a more high-tech, specialized country with high production capacity.

Sharing the same opinion, Mr. Sven David, General Director of VIET Transformation Advisor, also emphasized that Vietnam is "gradually transforming" from a low-cost factory into a destination for quality capital flows, with high added value and sustainability.

Perspective from the "giant" Samsung

In the wave of high-tech FDI pouring into Vietnam, the “big guy” Samsung is a special name. This is not only the FDI enterprise that has invested the most in Vietnam up to now, but also the investor that always strives to contribute the most to Vietnam’s development journey.

The year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of Samsung's investment in Vietnam, with a total investment capital of over 23 billion USD. With production complexes in Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen and Ho Chi Minh City, Samsung has made a huge contribution to Vietnam's export turnover over the past 3 decades, especially since its large investment in Vietnam through mobile phone factories in Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen. At times, this contribution rate reached 18-20% of the country's total export turnover.

Last year alone, Samsung achieved a revenue of more than 62.5 billion USD and an export turnover of 54.4 billion USD. This year, Samsung marked its investment success in Vietnam with 2 billion mobile phones produced at two Samsung factories in Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen, affirming the Group's position as a global production center.

Not only stopping at production, Samsung is probably also the first FDI enterprise to invest on a large scale in R&D activities in Vietnam. At the end of 2022, Samsung inaugurated a 220 million USD R&D Center in Tay Ho Tay Urban Area (Hanoi), completing the strategic investment picture in Vietnam and gradually turning Vietnam into its global R&D "stronghold".

Along with its significant contributions to the economy, Samsung has also made great efforts in technology transfer and training of technology talents for Vietnam.

Contributing to exports and R&D activities is not enough. Another effort of Samsung that is always highly appreciated by the Government, ministries and localities is the effort to transfer technology, bringing Vietnamese enterprises to a higher level of the global value chain.

Through cooperation programs with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, such as the Business Innovation Consulting Support Program, the Smart Factory Development Cooperation Program, etc., Samsung has brought to Vietnam advanced technologies, helping to improve the production capacity of local suppliers, supporting hundreds of Vietnamese enterprises to participate more deeply in the Group's global supply chain.

Another important contribution is that Samsung has played an important role in leading and nurturing generations of Vietnamese technology talents. By participating in programs such as Samsung Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) and Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC), thousands of Vietnamese students have made their dreams come true.

Launched in 2019, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is a playground that aims to give students the opportunity to apply STEM education knowledge to solve local and social problems. To date, Solve for Tomorrow has attracted more than 475,000 students and teachers to register, receiving nearly 7,500 entries.

Samsung has helped tens of thousands of Vietnamese students turn their dreams into reality.

Meanwhile, Samsung Innovation Campus is a global information and communication technology education project for young people. The project nurtures young talents with problem-solving skills by providing them with the necessary technological equipment to develop in the future through courses on artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data...

Launched in Vietnam in 2019, the project has provided training and high-tech capacity development opportunities for nearly 20,000 students and teachers.

Initiatives like SIC and SFT not only help the young generation of Vietnam access advanced technology but also build a sustainable foundation, helping Vietnam reduce its dependence on cheap labor and move towards a knowledge-based economy.

“Along with the active support policies from the Government and schools in nurturing technology talents, Samsung Vietnam is also making efforts to contribute to this goal. I hope that, with the spirit of not being afraid of challenges, you will fully grasp today's opportunities and pioneer in leading the future. Samsung Vietnam will continue to support Vietnamese youth so that they can firmly become the future owners of the country,” emphasized Mr. Na Ki Hong, General Director of Samsung Vietnam.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/fdi-cong-nghe-cao-tao-dong-luc-cho-su-phat-trien-cua-kinh-te-viet-nam-d400717.html