Resolution 10-NQ/TW, dated June 8, 2026, is seen as an important shift in Vietnam's approach to attracting FDI. What do you see as the biggest change?

I believe the most important change is in the mindset: moving from viewing FDI primarily as an additional source of capital for the economy to recognizing it as part of the country's broader development ecosystem.

As global investment competition changes rapidly, the question is no longer simply how many billions of dollars in FDI Vietnam can attract, but more importantly what type of FDI it attracts, what it can absorb, and what capabilities those capital flows can create for the economy.

What Vietnam needs in the next phase is not necessarily more projects, but higher-quality projects that bring technology and management know-how and are capable of generating spillovers to domestic companies.

Why do you believe this approach is particularly important at this stage?

Global FDI is changing. Multinational corporations are no longer looking only for locations with low production costs, but are increasingly focused on supply-chain resilience, energy security, technology, and markets.

In the coming years, sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, data centers, green energy, biotechnology, and digital infrastructure will continue to attract large capital flows.

This presents an opportunity for Vietnam. But if we only receive low-value-added stages of production, we may expand the size of the economy without necessarily improving national productivity and technological capabilities.

Looking back at nearly 40 years of attracting FDI, what are the biggest bottlenecks Vietnam needs to address?

I believe there are several "traps" that need to be avoided.

First is continuing to pursue FDI at all costs and prolonging the low-value-added contract manufacturing model. Second is spreading investment too thinly without developing sufficiently competitive strategic industries.

Third, and perhaps the most important issue, is the limited linkage between the FDI sector and domestic companies. Advanced technology may be present in an FDI factory, but that does not necessarily mean it will spill over into the broader economy.

If Vietnamese companies remain limited to providing basic services or working as subcontractors, it will be very difficult to develop independent production and technological capabilities.

How, then, should Vietnam change its FDI policies to address this situation?

In my view, Vietnam needs to shift decisively from a mindset of offering incentives to providing conditional incentives, particularly for large-scale, high-tech FDI projects.

Three requirements could be considered.

First, technology transfer must be substantive, with a clear roadmap and specific mechanisms for verification.

Second, suitable projects should be encouraged or required to establish joint ventures or co-investment arrangements with Vietnamese companies, giving domestic firms a meaningful opportunity to participate in production and technology development.

Third, FDI companies should be connected with the domestic innovation ecosystem, including technology companies, universities, research institutes, and R&D centers.

The ultimate goal is not for FDI companies to operate successfully in isolation, but to ensure that their presence strengthens the capabilities of Vietnamese companies and the wider economy.

What does Vietnam need to prepare in order to absorb technology and know-how from FDI?

First is technology infrastructure. Vietnam needs to develop data centers, cloud computing and computing capacity, and gradually build national computing capabilities.

Second is human resources. Vietnam needs to simultaneously attract international experts and create conditions for Vietnamese professionals overseas to return and train domestic engineers in emerging technology fields.

More importantly, Vietnam must leverage the existing production base of the FDI sector to bring new technologies into manufacturing, logistics and agriculture, thereby raising productivity and creating measurable value.

You have called for a new generation of FDI. What would a roadmap for Vietnam to move from "receiving FDI" to "mastering capabilities" look like over the next decade?

I believe it could be divided into three phases.

The 2026-2027 phase should focus on building the institutional foundations, completing the legal framework for high-tech FDI, attracting key digital infrastructure projects, and introducing pilot mechanisms for emerging sectors.

From 2027 to 2030, the country should expand the ecosystem, establish specialized technology centers, promote domestic technology startups, and strengthen R&D activities with substantive links to FDI companies.

From 2030 to 2035, the country should pursue a more ambitious goal: mastering a number of core technologies, exporting technology services to the region, and participating more deeply in global digital value chains.

One concern is that Vietnam could move from dependence on capital to dependence on technology. How can this risk be avoided?

This is a risk that needs to be confronted directly. If the economy becomes overly dependent on the platforms or technologies of a small number of global corporations, it could become "locked in" to a particular technology ecosystem.

Vietnam therefore needs to diversify its FDI partners while developing domestic technology companies capable of competing internationally. At the same time, it needs to gradually build its own core technological capabilities.

How should the ultimate goal of FDI policy in the new phase be defined, in your view?

Vietnam needs to answer a strategic question: Where do we want to stand in the global technology value chain by 2045?

If the goal is simply to become a manufacturing base, we can continue competing on costs and incentives. But if we want to become a high-productivity economy with technological capabilities and Vietnamese companies capable of competing internationally, the approach must be different.

In short, we need to move from being a country that receives FDI for contract manufacturing to one that can absorb, master and develop technology through a new generation of FDI.

Resolution 10-NQ/TW has asked the right question and opened an important path forward. The remaining challenge is to implement it with the determination and execution capacity required.