Struggling Vietnam auto industry gets boost from Mercedes SLUG: Vietnam Auto REPORTER: Lien Hoang DATE:

March 201 !"TRO: Merce#e$ %en& ha$ announce# it$ '(an to in)e$t 10 mi((ion US #o((ar$ in Vietnam thi$ *ear+ ,hat #oe$ thi$ mean to Vietnam-$ o.n #ome$tic car in#u$tr*/ Lien Hoang ta0e$ u$ on a tour to the Merce#e$ 1actor* in Ho 2hi Minh 2it*+ TE3T: S43 1 $treet On the northern e#ge o1 Ho 2hi Minh 2it*5 $treet )en#or$ $e(( noo#(e$ 1or 1 US #o((ar$ an# tra$h 'ic0er$ (oo0 1or car#6oar# to rec*c(e+ Right ne7t to them5 $ome o1 Vietnam8$ mo$t e7c(u$i)e car$ are 6eing 6ui(t+ S43 2 1actor* c(ic0ing noi$e Merce#e$ ha$ a 1actor* here5 an# thi$ month5 the com'an* $ai# it .i(( in)e$t 10 mi((ion US #o((ar$ into it$ o'eration$ in Vietnam+ 2EO Michae( %ehren$ $a*$ that8$ one o1 the com'an*8$ commitment$ 1or 201 + %EHRE"S 2L!P 1 9E"GL!SH5 MALE:: ;2ommitment num6er one i$ in)e$ting in Vietnam8$ 1uture+ ,hat #oe$ that mean/ ,e .i(( in)e$t < mi((ion US #o((ar in the ne. 'ro#uction5 that mean$ the S 2(a$$+ An# .e .i(( in)e$t another < mi((ion in a(( 0in#$ o1 thing$5 in the net.or0 an# in eco(og*+; S43 = engine Another commitment .a$ to intro#uce 1> ne. mo#e($ to the Vietname$e mar0et thi$ *ear+ Dir0 A#e(mann5 the #irector o1 $a(e$ an# mar0eting5 $a*$ thi$ i$ a $trateg* to $uit a )er* 1a$t? gro.ing mar0et+ ADELMA"" 2L!P 1 9E"GL!SH5 MALE:: ;The a)erage cu$tomer age i$ a($o much5 much *ounger than in the other countrie$ aroun#+ An# .hat .e 1oun# out i$ that *oung Vietname$e5 e)er* *ear5 .ant $omething ne.+ Thi$ i$ our cha((enge an# thi$ i$ .h* .e tr* to im'ro)e the car e)er* *ear+;

The ne.$ 1rom Merce#e$ .i(( contri6ute to the Vietname$e go)ernment8$ 6roa#er goa( o1 #e)e(o'ing a #ome$tic car in#u$tr* to com'ete .ith Thai(an# an# !n#one$ia+ %ut "gu*en Van Trung5 the e#itor o1 Autocar maga&ine in Vietnam5 $a*$ the countr* $ti(( nee#$ ca'ita(5 0no.(e#ge5 an# techno(og*+ TRU"G 2L!P 1 9E"GL!SH5 MALE:: ;Vietnam $tarte# 1rom &ero5 $o Vietname$e nee# he(' 1rom 1oreign 6ran#$+ Vietname$e .ant 1oreign manu1acturer$ to enter Vietnam .ith ca'ita(5 .ith 0no.(e#ge5 .ith techno(og*+ %ut ! #on8t thin0 that the $haring 6et.een the 1oreign manu1acturer$ .ith (oca( 1irm$ i$ going 1a$t5 ! thin0 it8$ $(o.+; 2ritic$ $a* Vietnam ha$ not 're'are# it$ (oca( $u''(ier$ to com'ete .ith the region+ Loca($ are 'rotecte# 6* im'ort an# other ta7e$ that #ou6(e the 'rice o1 a car+ Vietnam ma* not 6e rea#* .hen tho$e ta7e$ #i$a''ear in 201@5 a$ 'art o1 an agreement .ith the ASEA" $a*$ Merce#e$ 2EO Michae( %ehren$+ %EHRE"S 2L!P 2 9E"GL!SH5 MALE:: ;The in#u$tr* in $ome o1 the $urroun#ing countrie$ i$ more #e)e(o'e#+ %ut thi$ i$ not #ue to the (oca( in#u$tr*5 6ut thi$ i$ a Aue$tion o1 the $u''ort 6* the Vietname$e go)ernment+; Sti((5 Vietname$e .i(( continue to .ant car$+ Vietnam ha$ the 1a$te$t?gro.ing con$umer mar0et in Southea$t A$ia5 an# $ome $ee car$ a$ the u(timate $tatu$ $*m6o( $a*$ "gu*en Van Trung 1rom Autocar maga&ine+ TRU"G 2L!P 2 9E"GL!SH5 MALE:: ;Vietname$e are getting richer an# the* .ant to $'en# mone*+ The* .ant to enBo* the (i1e+ An# $ome o1 them .ant to enBo* $tate?o1?the?art (i1e5 too+ CState o1 the art/D Ee$+ So .e ha)e the #eman#+ %ecau$e a car5 1or Vietname$e5 i$ not on(* a )ehic(e+ !t i$ an a$$et+; 4or A$ia 2a((ing5 thi$ i$ Lien Hoang in Ho 2hi Minh 2it*+