Exclusive-Vietnam eyes new 5G deals with Chinese tech firms, sources say, despite US warnings
Vietnam’s police-owned telecom operator Mobifone is in talks with Chinese tech firms over new contracts to build parts of its 5G network, three people briefed on the plan said, despite U.S. warnings of security risks following earlier deals.
The talks precede a planned visit to China by Vietnam’s top leader To Lam in coming weeks, one of the sources said, in a new sign of warming ties between the two Communist neighbours.
Any deal by Mobifone would follow market leaders Viettel and VNPT, which signed 5G supply contracts last year with ZTE and Huawei, in a notable shift from years of caution toward Chinese 5G technology amid warming bilateral ties.
Mobifone is planning to launch a tender to roll out advanced antennas, known as base stations, for its 5G infrastructure which is expected to result in Chinese companies developing a substantial portion of its network, the three people said, declining to be named as the information was not public.
Two of them cited possible quotas for Chinese firms. The other said a decision to assign contracts to the Chinese had been already made.
The sources did not say which Chinese supplier could get new contracts, but one said Mobifone discussed the new tender with tech giant Huawei. State-owned ZTE is Huawei’s largest Chinese rival.
Huawei, ZTE, Mobifone and Vietnam’s foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Mobifone, which was placed under Vietnam’s public security ministry last year, is the third largest telecom operator in Vietnam.
The tender would not cover big cities, two of the sources said, but would expand Mobifone’s infrastructure which, while limited, is already deployed in strategic locations.
Mobifone does not disclose the location of its existing 5G towers, but a recent visit to a rooftop in central Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s business hub, showed a Huawei 5G base station already mounted on a tower branded with Mobifone’s logo, close to the U.S. Consulate General and offices of foreign governments and companies.
By Francesco Guarascio & Phuong Nguyen – Reuters – March 6, 2026