PM urges Apple, Boeing, Google to up Vietnam investments

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called on multinational giants like Apple, Boeing, Google and Siemens Healthineers to invest more in Vietnam.

He made the request in separate meetings with representatives of the firms in New York Thursday (local time).

The meetings were held on the sidelines of the PM’s visit to the U.S. to attend the 78th United Nations General Assembly session.

Boost localization

In his meeting with Apple, PM Chinh urged the tech-giant to invest more in Vietnam, with a focus on boosting the localization rate and encouraging its partners to invest in the country.

He said Apple can also help Vietnamese firms enhance production and participation in the global supply chain, establish a research & development (R&D) center within Vietnam’s National Innovation Center (NIC), and build up an ecosystem in the country to serve technology transfer and digitalization.

Chinh also urged Apple to develop Vietnam into a key production hub in its supply chain.

Nick Ammann, vice president, global government affairs at Apple, said his firm was striving to provide green energy for its Vietnam-based suppliers and wanted to jointly develop the Vietnamese workforce in software skills as the country focuses on digitalization.

He said Vietnam was a key manufacturing hub for Apple and the two sides could further grow their cooperation as evidenced by the government’s assistance during the pandemic and the strong output from Vietnam regardless of challenges.

Supply chain expansion

In his meeting with Boeing, PM Chinh suggested that Boeing expands its supply chain in Vietnam, including building a large-scale center for maintaining aircraft and components, help local airlines improve maintenance, train their workforce, conduct technology transfer, and add more Vietnamese partners to its supply chain.

He also proposed that Boeing cooperates with Vietnamese airlines to fulfill aircraft purchase orders and to provide them at suitable prices.

For his part, Brendan Nelson AO, senior vice president of The Boeing Company and president of Boeing Global, appreciated the Prime Minister’s vision for an aviation economy and promised to step up cooperation and facilitate more Vietnamese people travelling by air. He also expressed his willingness to bring more suppliers to Vietnam.

Digitalization training

In his talk with Google, Chinh recommended that Google continues its support for the NIC, cooperate in cybersecurity, provide digitalization training to Vietnamese firms and collaborate in training and technology transfer to facilitate the tech giant’s supply chain in Vietnam.

Expressing support for Google’s plan to expand activities in Vietnam, Chinh asked relevant agencies to research and cooperate with the firm on the basis of ensuring the legitimate interests of the Vietnamese state, the people and businesses with a fair share of risks and benefits.

He also lauded Google’s activities in the country, including collaboration with the NIC, production of smartphones and electronic items, and contribution to a sustainable digital ecosystem.

Karan Bhatia, global head of government affairs & public policy at Google, proposed cooperation in cloud computing and online teaching and commended the focus on innovation and science-technology within the recently-elevated Vietnam-U.S. comprehensive strategic partnership.

Hi-tech healthcare

The PM urged Siemens Healthineers to invest and start production of hi-tech and high-quality healthcare devices in Vietnam, step up technology transfer, join human resources training, and carry out corporate social responsibility activities in remote areas.

He welcomed Siemens Healthineers’ suggestion that it supports Vietnam’s healthcare sector upgrade facilities and increase digitalization.

Affirming the firm’s commitments to expand activities and share experiences with Vietnam, a Siemens Healthineers representative asked the Vietnamese government for support with legal frameworks and policies.

Also Thursday, Chinh had a working lunch with U.S. investors, an event hosted by Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment, the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and other institutions.

He said Vietnam always welcomed foreign investors, especially from the United States, adding that the country would pay heed to consultations on the market economy, infrastructure, workforce training and red tape reduction as it strove to facilitate investments.

Vietnam prioritizes investments in innovation, green economy, digital economy, circular economy, sharing economy, climate change adaptation, semiconductor, new energy and renewable energy, he added.