HANOI, April 16 — Apple Inc wants to boost its investment in Vietnam, state media quoted the United States (US) tech giant’s chief executive officer Tim Cook as saying in Hanoi today.
Vietnam is already a key manufacturing hub for Apple, and Cook spoke while meeting Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính.
It will set up a working group to support Apple’s investment, Chính told Cook during the meeting.
In a statement released yesterday on its website, Apple said it would increase its spending on suppliers in Vietnam. Its spending has already reached some 400 trillion dong (RM75.55 billion) and has created some 200,000 jobs.
Apple did not respond to requests for additional comments about its planned spending.
Cook arrived in Hanoi yesterday for the two-day visit, during which he met suppliers, students, content creators, and Apple product users.
Apple manufactures iPads, AirPods, and Apple Watches in Vietnam, and suppliers for MacBooks are also investing in the Southeast Asian country.
According to its latest suppliers list, the company had 25 suppliers in Vietnam as of 2022, the same as in the previous year and up from 21 in 2020.
These suppliers include Foxconn, GoerTek, Luxshare, Intel, Samsung Electronics, and Compal.
Suppliers to its main vendors, like Foxconn, are also moving or planning to move to Vietnam, and some are shifting some activities out of China amid US-China tensions, according to several industry sources who declined to name the companies as the moves were still confidential.
VTV reported that Chính, while meeting Cook, said Vietnam is seeking support from Apple to develop renewable energy as well as in high-quality human resource training.
Apple’s latest announcement came days after activists urged the company to take action on Vietnam’s detention of climate experts.
— Reuters
