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Samsung Electronics plant located in Bac Ninh, Vietnam. / Reuters, Yonhap News

Bac Ninh in northern Vietnam, home to key manufacturing bases of Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display, officially earned promotion as Vietnam's ninth centrally run city on the 20th (local time). General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and State President To Lam attended a commemorative ceremony held the previous day, calling on authorities to move beyond attracting investments centered on simple assembly and processing and instead focus capabilities on technological internalization and fostering local enterprises.

According to local media outlets VnExpress and Tuoi Tre on the 19th (local time), General Secretary Lam attended the declaration ceremony for the resolution establishing the centrally governed city held in Bac Ninh City that morning, stating, "Bac Ninh must establish an independent development model with a long-term vision looking ahead 20 to 30 years." He urged, "The city must internally strengthen its economic fundamentals and elevate its standing in the global value chain through phased technological self-reliance." His remarks signal an intent to selectively realign investment attraction policies around projects capable of absorbing high-value technology and advanced management capabilities.

General Secretary Lam repeatedly underscored nurturing downstream related industries—such as local parts and materials—and strengthening supply chain linkages between foreign-invested firms and local enterprises. "Bac Ninh must establish forward-looking talent policies that actively incentivize and support researchers, engineers, and professional managers to build a specialized workforce capable of directly handling and creating technology," he stressed. "Bac Ninh's ultimate growth must be demonstrated through securing domestic technological capabilities, the leap forward of local enterprises, and the accumulation of tangible added value within the region."

Infrastructure expansion and environmental regulations were also highlighted as critical priorities. He called for expanding regional transport networks and constructing access roads connecting to Gia Binh International Airport, while firmly instructing improvements to water and air pollution across industrial parks, craft villages, and river basins. General Secretary Lam warned, "Trading the health of residents, the ecosystem, and the lives of future generations for immediate short-term growth can never be tolerated." Nguyen Hong Thai, Secretary of the Bac Ninh Municipal Party Committee, stated, "Promotion to a centrally run city is not the destination, but the starting point for a qualitative leap," requesting sustained policy support from the central government.

Bac Ninh serves as a flagship hub for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam. Last year, the region posted a gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rate of 10.27%, ranking second nationwide behind Ho Chi Minh City in cumulative FDI attraction. Samsung Electronics' smartphone manufacturing plants and Samsung Display's integrated production facilities operate in the Yen Phong Industrial Park. In July, Samsung Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for 2026–2030 cooperation with the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee, continuing projects to support smart factory adoption for local enterprises and cultivate specialized talent.

Bac Ninh was incorporated as Vietnam's ninth centrally governed city, following Dong Nai in April and Quang Ninh on the 1st of this month. Encompassing the former Bac Giang Province merged in July last year, it retains a total area of 4,713 square kilometers and a population of 3.99 million. Following the elevation, 12 communes were converted into wards, reorganizing its administrative divisions into 99 units comprising 45 wards and 54 communes.

The resolution passed by the National Assembly plenary session on the 24th of last month stipulated transforming Bac Ninh into a green and smart city, designating science, technology, and innovation as drivers for next-generation growth. Building on this mandate, Bac Ninh City envisions leaping into a regional core hub in electronics, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI). Meanwhile, existing administrative permits and official documents issued prior to the elevation will maintain full legal validity, and preferential investment and tax treatments previously applied to Bac Ninh Province will continue through their designated expiration dates.

                                                                                                              Jeong Ri-na