Foreign direct investment (FDI) has generated many jobs and boosted export turnover, but the spillover effects on the capabilities and manufacturing technologies of domestic firms remain faint. In the coming period, Vietnam needs to approach high-tech FDI with a “two-way partnership”: FDI brings standards, markets, and scale; domestic enterprises gradually build up technological capabilities. This is the viewpoint of Dr. Ha Thi Cam Van, Senior Program Manager of Economics at RMIT University Vietnam, and Dr. Nguyen Chau Trinh, Lecturer in Economics at RMIT University Vietnam, presented in a recently published study on FDI investment in Vietnam. Domestic firms must take the initiative The Saigon Times: Your newly published research once again calls for the reconsideration of the role of FDI firms—especially those in the electronics sector—in Vietnam’s economy. As a member of the research team, what do you believe is the greatest support and contribution that FDI electronics firms have brought to domestic companies and to the economy? – Dr. Nguyen Chau Trinh: FDI in electronics has helped Vietnam transform significantly. As of November 15, 2025, the electronics sector recorded nearly US$143 billion in exports—the highest level ever. In 2024, the figure was US$126.5 billion, accounting for roughly one-third of […]