Vietnam's Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc asked Apple on 27 October 2026 to give Vietnam a bigger place in its global manufacturing and supply-chain strategy, during a meeting with Iris Cui, Apple's vice president for supply chain operations in Asia-Pacific, according to Báo Chính phủ. Apple, for its part, urged the government to keep refining the direct power purchase agreement (DPPA) mechanism so its suppliers in Vietnam can switch to clean electricity, VnExpress reported.
What Apple praised and what it wants
Cui said better infrastructure had given real support to Apple's suppliers, and she welcomed simpler work-permit procedures that make it easier to bring foreign experts to Vietnam. Apple runs a new technology training programme for workers in its Vietnamese supply chain, and Cui also praised the country's app developer community.
Apple asked Vietnam to:
- improve investment support for high-tech projects;
- address problems with foreign contractor tax and customs procedures;
- complete the direct power purchase mechanism, in line with the company's emissions goals.
Officials from the industry and finance ministries discussed changes to the DPPA rules at the meeting. Tuc asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to study Apple's DPPA request quickly, balancing the interests of all sides and the needs of the power system, and told the Ministry of Finance to guide firms on the rules already in force and settle issues within its authority.
Vietnam's requests
Tuc said cooperation should be judged not only by the number of factories or the scale of production but also by the capability of Vietnamese companies, the growth of local engineers and the technology value created in the country. He asked Apple to:
- set out which products, components and stages it could expand in Vietnam, especially automation, quality management, process design and supply-chain management;
- build a domestic supplier development programme with clear targets and a timeline, covering components, materials, moulds, ancillary equipment, logistics, engineering and digital management;
- help capable Vietnamese firms meet international standards on quality, safety, traceability and production management so they can become direct suppliers, including for markets outside Vietnam;
- widen training from production-line staff to engineers in smart manufacturing, robotics, software, data and artificial intelligence.
Background: DPPA since Decree 57/2025
According to VnExpress, foreign-invested companies have repeatedly asked Vietnam to pilot DPPA. A late-2023 survey by the industry ministry found:
| Group (late-2023 survey) | Number | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Large firms wanting to buy power directly | About 20 | Nearly 1,000 MW |
| Renewable projects wanting to sell via DPPA | 24 | 1,773 MW |
| Projects considering joining | 17 | 2,836 MW |
Decree 57/2025 on direct power purchases took effect in early March 2025, but the first deal to go live came only in mid-2026, with Samsung Thai Nguyen (SEVT) buying from the TTC Duc Hue 2 solar plant.
What comes next
The ball is now with the two ministries: industry on the DPPA changes, finance on investment support, tax and customs. Neither source gives a deadline or reports any specific new commitment from Apple.