The South-east Asian nation has wisely capitalised on this trend to steadily grow foreign investment inflows and manufacturing capacity for increasingly high-tech gadgets. But it is hard being your favourite supplier's favourite supplier.
Years of playing the role as the tech sector's perpetual "plus-one" to China has left infrastructure straining and the labour force struggling to keep up. Multiple leadership shake-ups and a prolonged corruption crackdown have also sown fresh uncertainty for foreign businesses.
Being so dependent on outside investments and tech exports also makes it vulnerable to the ebbs of foreign demand and trade volatility. The World Bank warned last week that Vietnam's scope for playing a connecting role in supply chains amid global tensions "may be shrinking".
The country must focus on itself - upskilling the labour force, improving infrastructure and diversifying its economy to move up the value chain.
It could start by demanding more from relationships with Big Tech companies.
Earlier in October, the country announced that Meta Platforms will expand manufacturing of one of the latest, low-cost lines of mixed-reality headsets to Vietnam. The move is expected to create 1,000 jobs and "underscores Vietnam's growing importance in Meta's manufacturing ecosystem", according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
この記事は The Straits Times の October 15, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は The Straits Times の October 15, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Jung Ho-yeon takes on Hollywood in Disclaimer
The drama series marks the Squid Game star's first English-speaking role
French pianist Helene Grimaud plays with time
Acclaimed French classical pianist Helene Grimaud, who has earned a reputation for playing by her own rules, thinks there should be no contradiction between freedom and fidelity.
Eisner Award winner submitted her comic as practice
Erica Eng submitted her web comic Fried Rice for the Eisner Awards on a whim in 2020.
Two-time Booker Prize nominee almost gave up writing
Acclaimed Canadian novelist Esi Edugyan has had first-hand encounters with the vagaries of the publishing and book-selling worlds.
A frank, and funny, work about the female body
Cat Bohannon wrote her best-selling non-fiction debut Eve: How The Female Body Drove 200 Million Years Of Human Evolution (2023) while also having two children, completing a doctorate and surviving the Covid-19 pandemic.
SILAT WILL MOVE 'UPHILL'
SSF chief plans to improve governance, selection process and coaching quality
One C'ship lets go of 'a few dozen employees'
Mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation One Championship has laid off a number of employees - including those from its Singapore headquarters - on Oct 16.
EPL pays highest price for injuries
Players in Germany's Bundesliga are most likely to be injured among Europe's top five domestic leagues, but the English Premier League bears the most injury-related costs, according to a report published on Oct 16.
Cantona slams 'scandalous' decision to axe Ferguson
Manchester United's most successful manager Alex Ferguson will step down as a global ambassador after the club's part-owners Ineos ended his multi-million pound contract.
PROFLIGATE PORTUGAL LACK MAGIC: COACH
Martinez's men can't find way past stubborn Scotland, but have one hand on q-final spot
