Contentizing "Make in Vietnam" - an urgent requirement
Vinh Hung Trading, Consulting and Construction Joint Stock Company is a fairly prominent business in the transportation mechanics industry. This business is placing high expectations of participating in a number of urban railway projects in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and especially the North-South high-speed railway project. To welcome, in recent years, Vinh Hung has focused on investing in research and development in the direction of localization.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Vinh Hung General Director - Mr. Vo Ta Luong - said: "For high-tech products that Vietnam has not produced for the railway industry, Vinh Hung has been and is negotiating with leading corporations in the world to receive technology transfer, towards localizing domestic production.
Vinh Hung is a fairly typical example of considering "Make in Vietnam" as a strategic choice for the long-term development path at the enterprise scale. However, the concern of many businesses today is how to clarify the content of "make in Vietnam" with questions such as: "Make in Vietnam is different in substance from "Made in Vietnam" - which mainly reflects the production location - how? What percentage is "technology mastery" or what criteria to distinguish between truly value-creating businesses and activities that are only about changing labels.
Make in Vietnam" is basically understood as designing in Vietnam, creating in Vietnam and making in Vietnam. The focus is not on the final assembly stage, but on Vietnamese businesses mastering design, technology, standards and markets, gradually holding high added value stages in the global value chain.
Dr. Ngo Tri Long - an economic expert - said: "Make in Vietnam" is a shift from the role of "laborer" to "owner"; from relying on imported technology to proactively creating; from growth based on quantity to growth based on quality, knowledge and brand. This is not an easy path, but an inevitable path if Vietnam wants to break into the group of high-income countries with a solid position in the global economy.
Make in Vietnam" is therefore not just a story of the technology industry, but a problem of restructuring the entire production base. Vietnamese businesses must be encouraged to invest in development investment (R&D), participate more deeply in product design, develop core technology, own intelligence and build their own brands. Only then will added value truly remain in the country.
Make in Vietnam - from slogans to national brands
In the context of the fourth industrial revolution, Vietnam clearly identifies key areas to create breakthroughs. Digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, cloud computing and especially semiconductors are becoming "strategic fronts".
Instead of standing outside, Vietnam proactively builds national programs and strategies on AI, semiconductors and digital transformation. Many universities and research institutes open new training fields; businesses invest in laboratories and R&D centers, and the team of engineers and technology experts is increasingly mature. More importantly, the requirements for Make in Vietnam products are not only for "demonstration", but also associated with the very real problems of the country: digital government, smart cities, digital healthcare, digital education, smart agriculture, digital security - safety.
Speaking at the National Forum for Digital Technology Enterprise Development in Vietnam at the end of 2025, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized: After 6 years of implementation, Make in Vietnam is no longer a slogan, but has gradually become a movement and practical capacity.
According to Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, Make in Vietnam has and will continue to help Vietnam shift from the position of "technology user" to "technology creator" in many fields; from importing solutions to self-designing solutions suitable to Vietnam's conditions.
Minister Nguyen Manh Hung also said that the new phase of Make in Vietnam requires different thinking, different ways of doing things and different institutions. The focus is no longer on discrete products, but on core platforms: Digital platforms, data platforms, AI platforms, cloud computing platforms, semiconductor platforms.
Businesses are the center of this process, while the State plays a constructive role: Creating markets, creating rules of the game, creating trust through ordering policies, public procurement, sandboxes, standards and open data. High-quality human resources become decisive factors, from system design engineers to data experts, standard experts and technology policies.
Make in Vietnam's final destination is not only the growth figure, but the national brand. When Vietnamese products are identified by quality, technology and prestige, added value will remain more in the country, autonomy capacity is strengthened and Vietnam's position in the international arena is enhanced.
Trade promotion programs, national brand promotion associated with technology, and innovation are showing the right direction: Instead of "hiding" in the global supply chain, Vietnam is gradually emerging as a solution provider and technological creator.
Make in Vietnam is gradually moving from policy orientation to socio-economic life. This path is certainly not smooth, requiring large resources, perseverance and close coordination between the State - businesses - society. But in the context of increasingly fierce global competition, this is a strategic choice.
When Vietnam is determined to shift from processing to mastering design and technology; invest strongly in digital technology, AI, and semiconductors; build a digital ecosystem and national brand, "Make in Vietnam" can become an important industrial policy tool, helping to coordinate resources, promote business capacity upgrading and gradually position Vietnam in the global value chain.
In the coming period, it is necessary to place improving productivity and quality of human resources, science and technology and innovation at the center of the development strategy, considering this as a key condition to break the middle-income trap and maintain high and sustainable growth. Restructure the economy in a green, digital, circular direction; take science and technology, innovation and digital transformation as new growth drivers and as factors to innovate traditional growth drivers. The mechanism to encourage technology application must be based on results, not comprehensive support. Focus on developing core industries, spearhead industries, internalize the "Make in Vietnam" strategy, effectively exploit new development spaces such as marine economy, green ocean economy, space economy (air and ground), sharing economy...".
General Secretary To Lam spoke at the conference to summarize the work in 2025 and deploy the work in 2026 of the Government and local authorities on January 9.
