Vietnam’s “Saigon Economy Online” reported on November 3 that on the sidelines of the COP26 conference held in Glasgow, Scotland, on November 2 (local time), Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Zheng met with Nike. Sustainability Director Noel Kind met and said that more than 200 factories in Vietnam that have signed agreements with Nike to produce sportswear have resumed operations. Noel Kind also promised to continue to expand investment in Vietnam.
According to Reuters, nearly 80% of Nike’s footwear manufacturers and half of its apparel suppliers in Vietnam closed on July 7 after the Vietnamese authorities implemented social isolation to prevent the spread of the epidemic. Production was forced to cease in mid-month. Nike, the American sportswear giant, makes nearly half of its footwear in Vietnam.
The fourth COVID-19 epidemic broke out in Ho Chi Minh City in May and then spread to southern provinces. Southern provinces and cities immediately implemented social distancing measures, causing supply chains across Vietnam to come to a standstill. The shutdown has put pressure on foreign-invested companies, some of which have also said they may shift operations to other countries.
