Vietnam sets agenda for strategic tech products and high‑tech manufacturing growth

A Vietnamese expert outlined three action lines for developing strategic technology products after the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 21/2026/QD‑TTg, effective 1 July 2026, creates a list of strategic technologies and products. He urged Vietnam to move beyond an inward‑focused model, citing Israel’s Wiz as an example, and recommended leveraging regional advantages in Vietnamese‑language AI, agro‑tech, and ASEAN‑wide testing and certification, while concentrating R&D resources on a limited set of priority products. Current R&D spending is about 0.4 % of GDP, far below peers.

At the same time, Vietnam recorded a record domestic consumption level in the first half of 2026, though consumer spending remains cautious. The manufacturing sector faces a “dual transition” toward greener, AI‑driven production. Foreign digital service providers contributed record tax revenues, and Ho Chi Minh City attracted $146.8 bn in FDI projects, with $7.5 bn registered in the first half of the year. The government raised the rooftop‑solar sales cap to 50 % and expanded direct power‑purchase mechanisms, supporting green growth and energy security. Cooperation with Japan and South Korea on semiconductors and broader high‑tech collaboration was also highlighted.