VIETNAM MAY REQUIRE $7 BILLION INVESTMENT FOR PILOT SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTION

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has announced that Vietnam will invest in several research centres to support universities and innovation hubs, with pilot production costs potentially reaching $7 billion, necessitating collaboration between the government and the private sector.

On June 6, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, on behalf of the government, addressed queries from National Assembly deputies during its 7th session. Deputy Nguyen Thi Viet Nga from Hai Duong province inquired about Vietnam's opportunities in the semiconductor industry. In response, DPM Ha assured that the PM and relevant ministries are actively implementing multiple strategies.

“Vietnam has numerous advantages,” said DPM Ha, citing the rapid development of the digital economy, strong mathematical skills, dexterity, and comprehensive university education in fields related to the semiconductor industry, such as IT, materials science, and physics.

As a result, Vietnam has significant potential to deeply integrate into the global semiconductor industry. The government has launched a project to train IT professionals. Many leading global tech and digital economy companies are already present in Vietnam, and Vietnamese enterprises are also making substantial progress in the digital economy.

“In the long term, we must focus on immediately training and retraining engineers with foundational knowledge to engage in design, packaging, and testing in the semiconductor industry,” Ha emphasised. Additionally, policies should be designed to attract Vietnamese experts and scientists working abroad in the semiconductor field.

The government plans to support businesses, particularly by selecting universities to develop semiconductor technology centres. This includes investing in large, modern laboratories for design, production, and testing. “This approach will enable Vietnam to integrate deeply into the semiconductor value chain,” DPM Ha noted.

Ha also pointed out that semiconductor manufacturing and design equipment are monopolised by a few countries, necessitating basic and deep scientific research for long-term mastery.

“We need to attract electronics companies that manufacture products using semiconductors, aiming to build a high-tech electronics industry. This requires comprehensive training and research in other fundamental sciences,” he said.

Furthermore, the DPM revealed that Vietnam will invest in several research centres to serve universities and innovation hubs, fostering basic research to master subsequent steps.

Source: VIR