Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi’s support industrieshave significantly contributed to the national economy and actively engaged inthe global supply chain, yet their localisation remains low, resulting inthe compulsory import of components worth tens of billions of US dollar each year.

The municipal Department of Industry and Tradereported that among the more than 900 support enterprises in the city, over 320have production systems and products of international standards and which are able toserve the production by multi-national groups in Vietnam, the region, and theworld at large.

The firms have continuously grown overthe past years in terms of quantity, quality, and scale, mainly in the threeareas of components and spare parts, products serving the textile - garment - footwearsector, and others for the high-tech industry, said Nguyen Van, Vice Chairmanof the Hanoi Supporting Industries Business Association (HANSIBA).

Pointing to the modest localisation, Van said importedcomponents in the electronics and automobile industries are worth about 35 - 50billion USD.

Experts forecast that businesses in general andthose in support industries in particular will face a host of challenges thisyear regarding labour, finance, and the disruption in supply chain amid globaleconomic uncertainties.

Against the background, businesses should cooperate toengage in production chains, and gain foothold in both domestic and foreignmarkets, they said.  

Hanoi has taken developing support industries as a solutionto lure more foreign direct investments, step up technology transfer, and boostsmall- and medium-sized enterprises, said Tran Thi Phuong Lan, Acting Directorof the Department of Industry and Trade, noting the city will work harder tohelp the enterprises improve their competitiveness.

Hanoi will organise relevant fairs, increasepromotion activities, assist the businesses in technology transfer, and attractmore foreign investments this year, she elaborated./.