Repositioning the role of Vietnamese industry in the new game

Vietnam's industry is standing on the threshold of the global market, but whether it can cross the threshold or not still depends on its internal capacity.

Guest panel discussion on the topic of Transforming into a brand in a new industry at the forum on July 24.

On July 24, at the forum "Opportunities to break through the value chain of Vietnam's mechanical engineering and manufacturing industry in the context of tariffs and global supply chain shifts" within the METALEX VIETNAM 2025 exhibition series, many experts discussed and proposed many solutions for businesses to "transform" and unlock the international industrial market.

The industry still faces many barriers.

Ms. Truong Thi Chi Binh - Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Supporting Industries (VASI) - said that many multinational corporations are proactively shifting production.

Vietnam is emerging as an alternative thanks to its favorable geographical location, young workforce and commitment to deep integration.

However, opportunities can only truly become competitive advantages if they are accompanied by strong internal capabilities. According to Ms. Binh, this is still a factor that many businesses are lacking.

Specifically, most Vietnamese mechanical enterprises still stop at producing discrete parts, without forming the capacity to design, develop complete products or possess core technology.

"If we only stop at the supply chain of separate mechanical components, wires, automation systems, PCBs, molds, and not complete component assemblies or finished products like now, it will be very difficult to enter the international market," said Ms. Binh.

Need to change mindset to restructure industrial market

Speaking at the discussion session, Mr. Tran Binh Minh - Deputy General Director of GCool JSC - said that businesses cannot wait for a market to exist before investing, but need to proactively develop products and propose solutions, even when there are no specific orders.

The decisive factor, he said, is product quality and shifting to a “solution-providing” mindset, rather than just selling products.

Actively participating in the design phase, providing technical support, and optimizing costs for customers helps expand profit margins and minimize the risk of being replaced. To do that, businesses need to understand and grasp the market to adjust to the context.

In addition, many experts also believe that proactively connecting with customers and international markets through fairs and exhibitions is also an effective way for businesses to increase orders. Accordingly, businesses should be present for more than 3 years to affirm their reputation as well as increase trust in the market.

Vietnam's industry recovers strongly in the first 6 months of the year

Speaking at the forum, Mr. Tran Hong Quan - Commercial Director, RX Tradex Vietnam - cited data from the General Statistics Office showing that the industrial production index in the first six months of 2025 increased by 9.2% over the same period last year, in which the processing and manufacturing industry continued to lead with a strong recovery rate, along with a wave of machinery investment and export expansion.

In particular, this sector attracted more than 12 billion USD of FDI in the first 6 months of the year, accounting for 55.6% of total registered capital, showing the strong attraction of the production value chain in Vietnam.

According to Mr. Quan, large projects such as the North-South Eastern Expressway project and the Long Thanh International Airport project not only upgrade inter-regional connectivity infrastructure but also create a big push in the demand for equipment, machinery, processing solutions, automation and precision manufacturing, opening up many potentials for domestic enterprises in the industrial sector.

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Truong Linh

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tai-dinh-vi-vai-tro-cong-nghiep-viet-nam-trong-cuoc-choi-moi-20250724162745745.htm