Vietnam steps up push for AI, chip investment

Vietnamese leaders have urged U.S. chip designer Qualcomm and South Korea's Samsung Electronics to expand their investment in artificial intelligence, semiconductors ​and research and development as the country seeks to become ‌a regional innovation hub.

At a meeting in Hanoi on Thursday, Communist Party General Secretary and President To Lam asked Qualcomm Chief Executive Cristiano Amon to increase its ​investment in areas including AI, semiconductors, robotics, 5G/6G, data centres ​and next-generation connectivity technologies, according to a government statement.

Lam said ⁠Vietnam was shifting toward a growth model driven by science, technology, ​innovation, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, and welcomed further investment.

Amon was quoted ​as saying Qualcomm wanted to develop its presence in Vietnam into the company's third-largest artificial intelligence research and development hub globally.

Qualcomm already operates an R&D centre in Hanoi ​and has collaborated with Vietnamese companies including Viettel and VinSmart, the ​statement said.

Also on Thursday, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung told Samsung Electronics CEO Roh ‌Tae-moon ⁠that Vietnam wanted Samsung to remain a key partner in strengthening the country's technological capabilities, developing its industrial base and integrating more deeply into global value chains, according to another government statement.

Hung praised Samsung's contribution to ​Vietnam's industrial development ​and exports, saying ⁠the country was one of the company's most important manufacturing hubs globally.

Total exports of Samsung's mobile phone manufacturing ​entities in Vietnam had reached $500 billion by the end ​of ⁠June since production began 17 years ago, according to the statement.

Samsung has so far invested $24 billion in Vietnam, the government statement said.

Roh was quoted as ⁠saying ​that Samsung planned more investment and training in ​Vietnam, and was working with the government to enable local firms to participate more deeply ​in its global supply chain.

-Reuters