Elon Musk’s SpaceX Brings Starlink to Vietnam
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has announced plans to invest $1.5 billion in Vietnam, recognizing the country’s strong potential for satellite internet expansion through its Starlink service. Tim Hughes, SpaceX’s Senior Vice President for Global Business and Government Affairs, shared this vision in meetings with key Vietnamese leaders. The meeting included Party General Secretary To Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Hughes highlighted Starlink’s global success, with the service now reaching over 100 countries and nearly 3 million subscribers. He emphasized that Starlink could help improve internet connectivity in Vietnam, particularly in remote areas. Currently, nearly 1,500 villages face poor or no signal. This would help bridge the digital divide in Vietnam. In addition, Hughes noted that Starlink could play a critical role in supporting disaster prevention, education, and training efforts. After all these are areas central to Vietnam’s digital transformation.
Prime Minister Chinh welcomed the proposal, expressing optimism about SpaceX’s potential to contribute to Vietnam’s technological development. Chinh affirmed that Vietnam has the necessary infrastructure, policies, and mechanisms in place to support the project. He also encouraged SpaceX to work closely with Vietnamese ministries to ensure compliance with local regulations and cybersecurity standards.
Elon picks Vietnam over Malaysia for SpaceX and Starlink
SpaceX’s decision to choose Vietnam raises questions about Malaysia’s position. This is especially notable given the highly publicized online discussions between Elon Musk and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Expectations for significant investments in Malaysia had been high following their talks. Despite these high-profile talks, SpaceX chose to invest in Vietnam, suggesting that Malaysia may have been side-lined. Vietnam’s strong digital infrastructure and government backing seem to have given it an edge in securing the $1.5 billion investment, leaving Malaysia to reconsider its strategy for attracting major tech players.
Starlink began its operations in Southeast Asia in 2023, with launches in the Philippines and Malaysia. Vietnam and Thailand are still awaiting regulatory approval, but with Vietnam’s focus on closing its connectivity gaps and advancing its digital economy, SpaceX’s entry could be a significant milestone in the country’s technological evolution. In time, the digital space of Vietnam and the entire Southeast Asian region will change.
