An artist's impression of Samsung Vietnam's new research and development centre in the country (Photo courtesy of Samsung)

Samsung Vietnam has announced the commencement ofconstruction on a new 220 million USD research and development (R&D) centrein Vietnam, with completion scheduled for late 2022.

This is the first R&D centre built by Samsung Electronics outside theRepublic of Korea and is the largest among R&D centres by foreign-investedfirms in Vietnam.

Once completed, its research workforce in Vietnam will increase from 2,200 to3,000, with research capacity to be enhanced not only in product developmentbut also in new technologies such as artificial intelligence, the internet ofthings and big data.

The R&D centre is a strategic milestone in the firm’s 12-year investmenthistory in Vietnam. With this project, Vietnam will not only become Samsung’slargest manufacturing hub but also its strategic R&D centre, the company saidon its website.

Located to the west of West Lake in Hanoi, the new R&D building will have16 storeys above ground and three underground floors, with a total floor areaof nearly 80,000 square metres.

To date, Samsung has invested more than 17 billion USD in Vietnam, of whichSamsung Electronics accounts for 9.5 billion USD, with the first smartphonefactory in northern Bac Ninh province in 2008, followed by a second plant in northernThai Nguyen province.

The company also has a consumer appliance and TV manufacturing complex in HoChi Minh City and an R&D centre in inner Hanoi./.

Samsung seeks preferential treatments for US$220-million R&D center in Hanoi

Samsung wants to change the purpose of the R&D Center or transfer the building and its related land-use rights to another party, in case of necessity.

Samsung to employ 3,000 local engineers for US$300 million R&D center in Hanoi

Samsung would continue to increase investment in R&D and supporting industries in Vietnam and seeks more support from the Vietnamese government, said Lee Jae-young, vice chairman of Samsung.