Vietnam draws foreign investment as HK-invested factories tap young and Chinese-speaking workforce
發佈日期: 2025-12-14 23:20
TVB News
In recent years, Vietnam has emerged as a key destination for foreign manufacturers.
In the second episode of our series "Visions of Vietnam," some Hong Kong factory owners say the country's youthful workforce, with some speaking Chinese, has reinforced confidence in Vietnam's long-term growth.
TVB News visited a factory there.
Boasting more than two decades of experience in eyewear manufacturing, this Hong Kong company has long operated factories in Shenzhen.
Seven years ago, it began diversifying its footprint, expanding production to Long An Province near Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam.
Sustainability now sits at its heart.
Recycled materials, including discarded plastic bottles, are transformed into eyewear frames, with biodegradable materials used to produce lenses.
Beyond its own in-house label, the company also provides one-stop services -- from design to material sourcing and manufacturing -- for a number of international brands with annual output standing at between two and three million pairs of glasses.
The company's managing director, Jacky Lam, says while northern and central Vietnam have been hit multiple times by typhoons and flooding this year, their southern location has largely shielded operations from severe damage.
JACKY LAM, Managing Director, OKIA Optical Company: "Some parts of the country, actually, face much more challenges than we are right here in Ho Chi Minh. It costs a few things like logistics because we have some materials that are shipped from China. It's coming through by truck."
Their Vietnam facility now employs more than 450 workers, with the company continuing to scale up its team.
JACKY LAM, Managing Director, OKIA Optical Company: "We actually have a lot of staff who came in, who only knew a little bit of Chinese but then through their own learning capabilities they are able to you know start to speak with us and explain things in Chinese. The work culture with the language helps to facilitate the improvement of efficiency."
Speaking in Cantonese, Vietnamese employee Annie says she saw burgeoning opportunities in her country with more Hong Kong and mainland Chinese investment in recent years.
Most of this factory's eyewear products require high precision manual work, meaning some of the processes cannot easily be replaced by automated production lines. And that also means Vietnam is an affordable and cost-effective option for setting up its manufacturing plant.
Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries Anthony Lam says Vietnam's proximity to China's Yunnan and Guangxi regions gives it a logistical edge.
ANTHONY LAM, Chairman, Federation of HK Industries: "In China, the salary is growing a lot apart from the inner part of China. But the inner part of China, the logistic is also expensive if you go to the port. If there's another additional manufacturing facility like China Plus N, it can be exported from Vietnam or Malaysia or Indonesia, and also for the domestic market."
