Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of its Commission for Policies and Strategies Nguyen Thanh Nghi led a delegation to survey the Samsung Vietnam Research and Development (R&D) Centre in Hanoi on May 14.
The visit aims to serve the drafting of a plan on reforming the national development model based on science – technology, innovation and digital transformation.
Na Ki Hong, General Director of Samsung Vietnam, said the Samsung R&D Centre was inaugurated in December 2022, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea. Built with investment of 220 million USD, it currently employs around 2,500 Vietnamese engineers.
In addition to mobile phone R&D, the centre's operations have expanded to laptops and 4G/5G telecommunications network equipment. It is also cooperating with leading Vietnamese universities and specialised high schools in Hanoi while providing scholarships for outstanding students.
He said that Samsung Vietnam posted revenue of 64.9 billion USD and export turnover of 57.1 billion USD in 2025, along with cumulative investment exceeding 24 billion USD. He highly valued the Party’s science and technology policies and reaffirmed Samsung’s commitment to enhancing technological competitiveness, supporting Vietnamese enterprises’ participation in supply chains and developing high-quality technology manpower.
Speaking at the meeting, Nghi said his commission is coordinating with relevant agencies to draft the plan on reforming the national development model based on science – technology, innovation and digital transformation for submission to the Party Central Committee in the near future.
A key focus of the plan, he noted, is considering Vietnam’s transition toward a development model driven more strongly by knowledge, technology, innovation and high-quality human resources, while strengthening linkages between domestic enterprises and leading global technology corporations to help Vietnam integrate more deeply into global value chains.
The Party official highlighted Samsung’s important role in Vietnam’s economy as the country’s largest foreign investor, noting that the Samsung R&D Centre in Hanoi is the firm’s largest in Southeast Asia.
He said Samsung’s decision to establish a large-scale R&D centre in Hanoi demonstrates its long-term commitment to Vietnam and reflects the increasingly substantive and effective economic cooperation between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea.
Nghi also praised Samsung Vietnam and its R&D centre for achievements in workforce training, R&D, technology transfer, innovation ecosystem development and job creation, as well as contributions to Vietnam’s growth, exports and economic restructuring.
Participants expressed their hope that Samsung will continue accompanying the Policy and Strategy Commission and Vietnamese ministries and sectors in advising on policies for sustainable science – technology development, innovation and digital transformation, and in expanding R&D cooperation and high-quality workforce training.
Nghi emphasised that Vietnam consistently regards the FDI sector as an important component of the economy. Going forward, the country aims to shift from attracting FDI based on quantity to prioritising high-quality investment centred on technology, innovation, added value and spillover effects.
Vietnam also encourages foreign corporations to expand R&D activities, transfer technology, deepen cooperation with domestic enterprises and support the development of high-quality human resources, he said.
Acknowledging Samsung Vietnam’s proposals, the chairman said the commission will study and incorporate them into policy recommendations to attract more FDI and further improve the sector's effectiveness.
He proposed that Samsung continue developing a comprehensive ecosystem, expand research into core and leading technologies, strengthen cooperation with Vietnamese universities, research institutes and technology firms, and support Vietnamese enterprises in participating more deeply in Samsung’s supply chain and technology ecosystem. He also called on Samsung to keep coordinating in training Vietnamese engineers and experts in AI and semiconductor technologies.
Nghi expressed confidence that together with the development of Vietnam and the two countries' Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Samsung will remain a long-term strategic partner in Vietnam’s technology and innovation ecosystem.
Later the same day, the delegation toured the Samsung Vietnam R&D Centre, met Vietnamese engineers working there and visited the centre’s training facilities and product experience area./.
