FDI firms pin hopes on Hanoi's 100-year master plan to boost high-tech investment

Foreign-invested companies said Hanoi's newly unveiled 100-year master plan could improve the investment climate, foster a highly skilled workforce and strengthen linkages between foreign and domestic businesses, as the Vietnamese capital shifts its focus from attracting investment to targeting high-tech projects and strategic investors.

Speaking at a conference on Monday to announce the capital's long-term development plan and promote investment, city authorities said the capital would prioritize strategic investors and projects in high-tech sectors including semiconductors, chip design, AI, big data, biotechnology, advanced materials, R&D, innovation, modern logistics, green finance, fintech, high-quality education and healthcare.

Under the master plan, the Hoa Lac-Son Tay-Xuan Mai corridor will become a hub for high-tech industries, R&D, AI and semiconductors, while the Noi Bai-Dong Anh-Soc Son-Me Linh area will focus on airport logistics and a planned free trade zone. The Red River corridor is envisioned as a center for culture, finance, commerce, tourism and creative urban development.

The city targets average annual gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth of more than 11% between 2026 and 2035, with the minicipal economy expected to reach around $200 billion by 2035 and $640 billion by 2045.

The plan also includes building about 1,153 km (716 miles) of urban railway lines, developing a free trade zone linked to the northern airport urban area and the Hoa Lac science and technology city, and pursuing green, smart and net-zero urban development.

Foreign investors seek stronger partnerships

At the conference, Samsung Vietnam CEO Na Ki-hong said he welcomed Hanoi's strategy to develop high-quality talent through cooperation among government, universities and businesses.

He said Samsung had signed a memorandum of understanding with the city on high-tech workforce development and would continue supporting innovation and talent development programs aligned with the Politburo's Resolution 57.

Samsung plans to expand its Samsung Innovation Campus program covering AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data. In 2026, the company will introduce semiconductor training for the first time at three educational levels to support Vietnam's target of training 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030.

Since 2012, Samsung has invested around VND180 billion ($6.85 million) in partnerships with Vietnamese universities to support technology education, research and scholarships.

The tech giant hopes to contribute not only as a major investor and exporter, but also as a trusted partner in developing Vietnam's technology talent, Na Ki-hong added.

Meanwhile, Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) Hanoi chief representative Ozasa Haruhiko said Japanese companies continued to expand operations in Vietnam, citing the country's growth potential and stable political and social environment.

He said Japan's business community welcomed Vietnam's administrative reforms, innovation agenda and efforts to improve linkages between foreign and domestic companies.

Jetro expects Hanoi to strengthen its role as a platform connecting Vietnamese and foreign businesses while continuing to improve the investment climate to attract high-quality projects.

A Sumitomo Corporation representative said Hanoi's master plan represented a long-term development strategy rather than simply an urban planning blueprint.

He said its North Hanoi Smart City project aims to create Vietnam's first carbon-neutral urban area, improve residents' quality of life through Japanese expertise in education and healthcare, and develop resilient urban infrastructure.

The representative noted that the project could help ease development pressure in Hanoi's increasingly crowded urban core while creating a modern, green city with a high quality of life.

He added that land clearance and regulatory procedures had progressed smoothly with support from Hanoi authorities, and reaffirmed the company's commitment to accelerating the project.

A stable investment environment, a clear long-term vision and constructive dialogue with the government were key factors encouraging foreign investors to expand in the capital, the representative said.

Hanoi attracted an estimated $3.2 billion in registered FDI capital in the first half of 2026, with professional services, science and technology accounting for the largest share, reflecting growing investment in innovation, R&D and digital services.

Since opening to foreign investment in 1989, Hanoi has attracted about $74.6 billion in registered FDI capital across more than 9,285 valid projects, according to the city government.