Global Firms Back Hanoi's Ambitious Century-Long Development Strategy

Leading domestic and foreign enterprises have expressed strong confidence in Hanoi's long-term development strategy, pledging fresh investment, technology transfer, and financial resources following the capital's unveiling of its Master Plan with a 100-year vision. During the plan's official announcement on June 29, executives from global technology firms, multinational manufacturers, and Vietnam's banking sector described the roadmap as a move that reinforces the city's position as a strategic investment destination while creating new opportunities for public-private collaboration. Key areas identified for deeper cooperation to help realise the city's ambitions include artificial intelligence (AI), smart urban development, advanced manufacturing, green finance, and the cultivation of high-quality human resources.

Tech Giants Signal Commitment

Steven Trương, Global Vice President of U.S. chipmaker NVIDIA, positioned Hanoi as a future AI growth centre, stating the company is committed to supporting Vietnam's broader digital transformation. "Our mission is very clear: to help build the future of artificial intelligence and accelerated computing while developing Việt Nam into one of NVIDIA's important global innovation and engineering centres," he said at the event.

Trương detailed the rapid expansion of NVIDIA's Vietnam Innovation and Development Centre (VIDC), noting that NVIDIA Vietnam recorded approximately 130% growth between 2025 and 2026, while the VIDC itself grew by around 90%. The company has expanded its engineering and AI research teams in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, successfully attracting top Vietnamese talent from universities, technology companies, and the research community. He added that NVIDIA engineers in Vietnam are already contributing to global strategic programmes and are actively collaborating with leading Vietnamese enterprises to develop large language models based on NVIDIA's NeMo platform.

Looking ahead, NVIDIA plans to deepen its investment in AI infrastructure, research partnerships, and workforce development, with the strategic goal of building its VIDC in Hanoi into a world-class AI engineering centre. "Hà Nội can become not only a city that applies AI but also a centre driving AI development," Trương remarked. "Cities that successfully embrace AI will attract talent, foster advanced manufacturing ecosystems and improve competitiveness and productivity."

Samsung Vietnam also reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the capital, placing human capital development at the centre of its cooperation strategy. General Director Na Ki Hong highlighted the company's nearly three decades of investment in Vietnam, which has culminated in an integrated ecosystem comprising six manufacturing plants, a sales entity, and its largest Southeast Asian research and development centre, located in Hanoi. The electronics giant generated US$64.9 billion in revenue and $57.1 billion in exports in 2025, with its cumulative investment in the country now exceeding $24 billion.

Hong attributed Samsung's continued expansion to the consistent support of the Vietnamese government and Hanoi authorities. He added that the company's future strategy aligns closely with the capital's goal of becoming a leading centre for high-quality human resources and innovation. In response to this orientation, Samsung has signed a cooperation agreement with the city to develop high-quality technology talent and strengthen links between businesses and educational institutions. "In the coming period, we will continue working alongside Hà Nội through diverse programmes to strengthen innovation capacity and nurture talent," Hong stated. "Samsung will not only remain Việt Nam's largest investor or exporter. We will strive to become the company most trusted in developing the technology talent that will lead Việt Nam's future."

Japanese Investors See Stability and Growth

Japanese businesses also voiced strong optimism regarding Hanoi's long-term investment prospects. Ozasa Karuhiko, chief representative of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Hanoi Office, cited recent surveys that demonstrate growing confidence among Japanese investors in Vietnam. According to JETRO's 2025 Business Conditions Survey, 68% of Japanese companies operating in Vietnam expect to remain profitable—the highest level recorded since 2009 and the first time in five years that Vietnam has outperformed the ASEAN average on this metric. Furthermore, 57% of surveyed firms plan to expand their operations in the country, placing Vietnam at the top of ASEAN for the second consecutive year.

Ozasa said that Japanese investors particularly value Vietnam's market growth potential, political stability, and improving investment environment. "In a region facing considerable geopolitical and economic uncertainty, Việt Nam's stability has become an increasingly important competitive advantage," he stated. He affirmed that JETRO would continue to serve as a bridge between Japanese and Vietnamese businesses by promoting partnerships with local start-ups, strengthening supply chains, and expanding opportunities for Vietnamese professionals within Japanese companies. Ozasa also expressed confidence that Hanoi's 100-year vision would further enhance the city's role as a vital hub connecting domestic enterprises with foreign investors.

Echoing this confidence, Manabu Hamamoto, General Manager for Global Urban Development Strategy at Sumitomo Corporation, described Hanoi's master plan as a "bold and forward-looking blueprint that gives investors greater certainty about the city's long-term direction." Sumitomo has a long history in the capital, having operated the Thăng Long Industrial Park since 1997, which has attracted approximately $3 billion in cumulative investment and created around 60,000 jobs. The corporation is also jointly developing the North Hanoi Smart City project with local partner BRG Group.

"The 100-year vision is not simply an urban development plan. It is a strategic roadmap for Hà Nội's development across future generations," Hamamoto said. He praised Hanoi's commitment to sustainable development, innovation, and international competitiveness, saying these priorities provide a solid foundation for long-term investment. In line with this, Sumitomo plans to accelerate the implementation of the North Hanoi Smart City project by integrating smart technologies, renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, and Japanese expertise in education, healthcare, and disaster prevention. "We are honoured to accompany Hà Nội in turning its long-term vision into reality and will continue building a trusted and sustainable partnership with the city," he concluded.

Domestic Banks Pledge Financial Mobilisation

Vietnam's domestic banking sector also pledged to mobilise significant financial resources to support Hanoi's ambitious development agenda. Representing the country's commercial banks, BIDV Chairman and CEO Lê Ngọc Lâm said the industry would focus on providing long-term financing for strategic infrastructure projects, supporting the city's digital transformation, and expanding the availability of green finance.

Lâm noted that a consortium of major banks—including BIDV, Vietcombank, VietinBank, SeABank, Agribank, and MB—recently signed a memorandum of understanding to coordinate the issuance of local government bonds. This collaborative initiative aims to mobilise between VND 150-200 trillion in social capital specifically for Hanoi's strategic infrastructure projects outlined in the plan.

"As a leading bank in sustainable finance, BIDV will prioritise funding for green infrastructure, clean energy, sustainable transport, energy-efficient buildings, environmental projects, the circular economy and projects that meet ESG standards," Lâm said. He added that the banks would also play a role in connecting Hanoi with international sources of green capital, technical assistance, and sustainable finance expertise to support the city's long-term, sustainable development.