Expert sees real but time-bound opportunity for Vietnam’s economic growth

The summit convened more than 400 senior leaders and decision-makers for a full day of high-level discussions on Vietnam’s growth trajectory and strategic choices.

“As it is time-bound, you can't do things slowly amid global uncertainty,” Low stressed.

“We could not depend on providing cheap land, incentives, or the supply of low-cost labor, but we need to compete on value, reliability, and compliance."

He urged investors and enterprises to “invest now, and invest in tech, power, logistics and talent” to unlock the next growth wave for Vietnam.

Businesses that digitize and decarbonize will capture the premium.

He pointed out five forces shaping decisions in the world, including geopolitics that has become a core economic variable, globalization, technology that is now seen as a strategic asset, not a productivity tool, sustainability and the end of cheap money.

Investors now focus on resilience, automation, and market access, requiring Vietnam to pay more attention to the quality of foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction rather than FDI quantity.

While multinationals are diversifying production out of China to reduce risks, Vietnam will continue to be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

He also suggested Vietnam strengthen strategic manufacturing nodes in electronics, consumer goods, apparel, furniture, and EV-related components to make it more attractive.

Low hinted at developing local suppliers and reducing the reliance on foreign inputs.

“Vietnam is winning on relocation, but must win value addition and build ecosystems,” he affirmed.

Besides, he called for the integration of technology and workforce upgrading to succeed in the acceleration of technology and AI adoption.

He presented some near-term priorities such as scaling STEM and vocational pathways, enabling trusted data flows and cybersecurity, incentivizing R&D, packaging and supplier localization, and streamlining approvals for digital infrastructure.

Vietnam can lead in several fields, particularly those involving higher value creation, he stressed.

They are electronics, encompassing not only testing but also advanced packaging and component production; green manufacturing; logistics and cold chains; tourism and experiences; data centers and cloud services; industrial automation and AI adoption; EV supply chains and charging; and hydrogen pilots and green fuels.

Through an opportunity lens, projects that raise export sophistication, reduce energy intensity, build local supplier capability, and strengthen resilience stand out, he noted.