Vietnam’s Global Ambition in Motion: How Vingroup and VinFast Signal a New Era of National Confidence
A VinFast VF 9 glides down a quiet Toronto street on a cold winter morning. Snow gathers lightly on its hood as it moves smoothly through the early-day traffic. Inside, the driver — a Vietnamese-Canadian engineer — speaks with understated pride. His family owns a vehicle built in Hai Phong, Vietnam, by a company many Canadians have only recently learned about. For him, the car is more than a mode of transportation. It is a symbol of how far his home country has come.
This one electric SUV tells a story much larger than itself. It captures the remarkable rise of Vietnam’s economy — from the early days of rebuilding and low-cost manufacturing to a confident, innovation-driven nation that increasingly participates in global industry. And at the center of this transformation stands Vingroup, the parent company of VinFast and Vietnam’s largest private conglomerate.
A Corporate Journey That Mirrors a Nation’s Rise
Vingroup’s evolution over more than three decades closely parallels Vietnam’s own development. Founded in 1993 by entrepreneur Pham Nhat Vuong, the company’s roots were humble. Vuong’s business journey began with a noodle company in Ukraine, not with factories or high-tech research. Yet from these modest beginnings came a business empire that today reflects both Vietnam’s dynamism and its aspirations.
As Vietnam underwent major economic reforms, expanded its private sector, and integrated into global markets, Vingroup adopted the same ambitious spirit. Its expansion into real estate, healthcare, education, technology, mobility and now energy and culture demonstrates a deep alignment with Vietnam’s national growth priorities.
In 2025, when Vietnamese leaders announced that private enterprise would be “the locomotive of national growth,” Vingroup was already functioning as that engine. It stood as a model of how a local company could innovate, export, and build global trust rather than simply support overseas brands.
The company’s integrated ecosystem illustrates what modern Vietnam is becoming. A typical Vinhomes community includes residential areas, a school, medical facilities, and commercial spaces all within walking distance. Families can send their children to Vinschool or VinUni, seek care at a Vinmec hospital, attend cultural events produced by Vingroup, and enjoy public spaces designed with future-forward planning.
Internally, Vingroup has invested heavily in software development, robotics, and artificial intelligence, which support its manufacturing operations and digital services. The VinFuture Prize — often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Asia” — further anchors Vietnam on the global science and innovation map by attracting world-class researchers each year.
Expanding Beyond Industry: Energy and Infrastructure as National Catalysts
In August 2025, Vingroup added two major pillars to its business structure: Green Energy and Infrastructure. These additions were not just expansions of a corporate portfolio. They signaled Vietnam’s intention to lead in sustainable development and advanced mobility in Southeast Asia.
Vingroup proposed high-speed rail lines that could reach 350 km/h, linking major population centers such as Hanoi–Quang Ninh in the north and Ho Chi Minh City–Can Gio in the south. At the same time, the group began developing major seaports and logistics hubs in Hai Phong and Ha Tinh — strategic locations for trade that can accelerate Vietnam’s industrialization.
The VinEnergo initiative complements this infrastructure blueprint. By building solar and wind farms across the region and storing energy using batteries developed for VinFast vehicles, Vingroup aims to supply tens of gigawatts of clean power. This strategy not only supports domestic energy security but positions Vietnam as a growing contributor to the regional energy transition.
VinFast: Turning National Ambition Into Global Products
Among Vingroup’s many ventures, VinFast is the most visible and globally recognized. The automaker’s trajectory has been rapid, even by global automotive standards. Within just a few years, VinFast progressed from prototype concepts to mass-market electric vehicles produced at scale.
Between January and September 2025, VinFast delivered more than 100,000 vehicles, making it Vietnam’s best-selling brand for nearly a full year. The smaller VF 3, VF 5, and VF 6 dominate domestic sales, while the VF 8 and VF 9 cater to international customers. VinFast brands itself on reliability, supported by some of the industry’s longest warranties and over-the-air technology features.
One of the brand’s most significant international decisions was choosing Canada as a major early market. Canadian drivers expect cars that can endure harsh winters and vast distances while offering strong after-sales support. VinFast entered the market with a clear strategy: combine service coverage with an expanding charging network, competitive warranties, and cars engineered for cold-weather resilience.
In Ontario and Quebec, early adopters share stories of long road trips, steady performance through snowstorms, and surprisingly spacious interiors. For members of the Vietnamese diaspora, seeing a VinFast on Canadian roads feels deeply personal — a validation that their homeland has stepped onto the global stage with a product capable of competing against the world’s leading automakers.
A Network of Progress Supporting Vietnam’s Future
Vingroup’s businesses do not operate in isolation. Instead, they reinforce each other in ways that directly benefit the country’s economic development.
- Battery plants supply VinFast vehicles and large-scale renewable energy projects.
- New ports and transport routes reduce logistics costs for exporters.
- Technology initiatives support manufacturing efficiency and smart-city solutions.
- Educational institutions train the next generation of engineers, doctors, and entrepreneurs.
- Residential developments anchor communities around services and infrastructure.
This interconnected system creates jobs, strengthens supply chains, and contributes to a modern national economy built not just on labor, but on innovation and long-term value creation.
A New Focus: Culture as a National Voice
In late 2025, Vingroup unveiled its newest pillar — Culture — marking a thoughtful shift toward shaping Vietnam’s global identity.
This pillar includes:
- V-Culture Talents: supporting young artists and performers;
- V-Film: producing Vietnamese cinema and television;
- V-Spirit: organizing festivals and large-scale cultural events such as the 8Wonder music festival.
Many industries worldwide overlook or underfund culture, but Vingroup’s move recognizes that cultural expression influences how a nation is understood internationally. It is a platform for stories, heritage, and artistic innovation.
Nguyen Viet Quang summarized the company’s vision eloquently:
“Culture is not only a spiritual foundation and measure of social development, but also a driving force for a sustainable future. Through this initiative, Vingroup embraces its responsibility to the community and to our national heritage.”
By investing in the arts, Vingroup is expanding Vietnam’s footprint not only in technology and business, but in the cultural imagination of the world.
The Sound of Tomorrow
Back in Canada, the VF 9 sits quietly at a charging station as snow continues to fall outside. The driver scrolls through Vietnamese music playing through the infotainment system, feeling connected to a homeland now visible in more ways than ever.
Half a world away, cranes lift steel beams at new Vinhomes developments. Workers assemble electric motors and battery packs. Students bustle through Vinschool campuses. Surgeons operate in Vinmec hospitals. Filmmakers prepare sets for the next V-Film production.
More than thirty years after its founding, Vingroup has become far more than a corporation. It is a reflection of Vietnam’s determination to innovate, compete, and define its place in the world. The quiet hum of that electric motor in a snowy Toronto morning represents something larger: the sound of a nation’s future in motion — confident, connected, and moving forward with purpose.
Source Link:https://www.businesswire.com/
