Samsung has inaugurated its US$220 million R&D center in Vietnam, where about half the global supply of the firm’s mobile phones is produced. 

Pham Minh Chinh, Vietnam’s prime minister, and Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics (both standing behind the fourth podium), were at the center’s launch event in Hanoi today. / Photo credit: Samsung Vietnam

The South Korean giant said in a media statement that it plans to elevate Vietnam’s role beyond a global production base.

Samsung is also conducting software development as well as the testing of mobile devices and networks in the country. 

Samsung’s mobile phone manufacturing hubs are located in the country’s northern region while its household goods production complex is in Ho Chi Minh City. Its investment in the country is expected to exceed US$20 billion by the end of this year. 

Earlier this week, Nikkei Asia also reported that Apple might move part of its MacBook production to Vietnam by mid-2023 as part of further efforts to diversify its supply chain outside China.

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