CaliToday (16/11/2025): Vietnam’s government has signaled a strong push to deepen economic integration with its northern neighbor, hosting high-level meetings in Hanoi with two major Chinese corporations from the critical sectors of high-tech manufacturing and infrastructure.
The engagements, reported by state media, involved General Secretary Tô Lâm and Deputy Prime Minister Hồ Đức Phớc in separate, strategically significant talks.
High-Tech Ambitions: General Secretary Meets Luxshare-ICT
In a meeting that underscores the importance of the high-tech supply chain, Communist Party General Secretary Tô Lâm hosted the Vice Chairman of Luxshare-ICT.
This meeting is highly symbolic; the General Secretary's direct involvement is typically reserved for a nation's most significant strategic partners. Luxshare-ICT is a powerhouse in global electronics and a critical supplier for tech giants like Apple. The company has already invested billions of dollars in Vietnam, operating massive manufacturing plants in northern provinces like Bac Giang and Nghe An.
Discussions were reportedly focused on expanding Luxshare-ICT's footprint in Vietnam. This is seen as part of a move beyond simple assembly into higher-value-added activities, such as research and development (R&D) and component production. For Vietnam, securing such "high-quality" foreign direct investment (FDI) is a core pillar of its economic strategy to become a regional high-tech hub.
Building the Future: DPM Talks Infrastructure with Hoa Thiet
In parallel, Deputy Prime Minister Hồ Đức Phớc, who oversees key economic and financial portfolios, held talks with the Chairman of Hoa Thiet Group.
Hoa Thiet is a major Chinese state-owned conglomerate specializing in large-scale infrastructure, construction, and railway engineering. This meeting comes at a crucial time, as Vietnam is aggressively pushing forward with ambitious infrastructure projects that require massive capital and technical expertise.
The dialogue is widely believed to be connected to flagship projects such as the North-South High-Speed Railway, a multi-billion dollar endeavor that Vietnam is actively seeking international partners for. China's deep expertise and financing capabilities in high-speed rail make Chinese firms like Hoa Thiet prime candidates for partnership or major contracts.
A "Twin-Track" Strategy
These simultaneous, high-level meetings with a private-sector tech giant and a state-owned infrastructure behemoth are not a coincidence.
They represent a clear "twin-track" strategy by Hanoi:
Secure its place in the global tech supply chain by courting top-tier manufacturers.
Build the modern infrastructure (ports, highways, and rail) necessary to support that manufacturing and fuel future economic growth.
The talks highlight the increasingly sophisticated and crucial economic relationship between Vietnam and China, moving beyond simple trade to encompass complex supply chains and strategic national development projects.