Vietnamese technology seizes new opportunities.

Vietnam becomes an attractive global destination.

"Vietnam is the only country that can fully participate in all stages of the semiconductor supply chain," said Jensen Huang, Chairman and CEO of NVIDIA, during his visit to Vietnam. Not only the chip industry, but also emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain are receiving significant attention from global investment funds and technology corporations in the country.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and billionaire Jensen Huang at the event where the Vietnamese Government and NVIDIA signed an agreement to open an AI R&D and Data Center on December 5, 2024, in Hanoi.

PHOTO: NHAT BAC

This stems from Vietnam's unique advantages in a volatile global environment, making it a safe and geopolitically stable destination for global investors and technology corporations. Furthermore, by the end of 2024, Vietnam is one of the most open economies in the world with 17 free trade agreements. In the "2024 Socio-Economic Report, Solutions to Accelerate Socio-Economic Development in 2025," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that Vietnam is among the top 15 developing countries attracting the largest amount of FDI globally. The average growth rate in 2024 is expected to reach approximately 7%, the highest in many years.

Vietnam has also become a focal point of international media attention as tech billionaires have been continuously visiting. In early March 2024, billionaire Bill Gates flew to Da Nang on his private jet to explore opportunities for collaboration in the information technology sector. Analysts believe Bill Gates' return after 18 years is "proof of Vietnam's growing attractiveness." This was followed by visits from Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; IT legend Narayana Murthy (India); and most recently, billionaire Jensen Huang of NVIDIA, the world's most valuable chip company. Behind these visits are tens of billions of USD poured into Vietnam's technology ecosystem, with regional-scale R&D centers, AI factories, and semiconductor centers constantly springing up.

According to billionaire Narayana Murthy, Vietnam is emerging as a global technology destination, reflecting the country's commitment and investment thanks to its hard work, discipline, creativity, and ambition. He believes that, thanks to these qualities, within the next 20 years, Vietnam will soon become one of the leading developed countries in Asia and among the fastest-growing economies in the world.

The sweet fruits of new technology strategies

The rapid changes in the world have created many new opportunities for Vietnam, but it is the crucial policies of the government that are the driving force, helping the country to seize these new opportunities in a timely manner.

One of Vietnam's most important technology strategies last year was the development of the semiconductor industry. Instead of planning for just a five-year period like most countries in the region, Vietnam planned a three-stage roadmap to 2030, with a vision for 2050, based on the formula C = SET + 1. Accordingly, the development of Vietnam's semiconductor industry (C - chip) is based on four factors: (S - Specialized) specialized chip production; (E - Electronics) growth in the electronics industry; (T - Talent) building a talented semiconductor engineering workforce; (+1) making Vietnam a new safe destination for the global semiconductor supply chain. The long-term goal is for Vietnam to fully participate in all three main production stages: chip design, manufacturing, and packaging.

As a result, not only have leading global chip manufacturers such as Intel, Amkor, Samsung, Synopsys, and Hanmi Semiconductor increased their presence in Vietnam, but domestic technology companies like Viettel and FPT have also boldly invested in R&D, proactively designing and manufacturing chips for 5G connectivity, healthcare, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Besides semiconductors, the government also issued the National Strategy on Research, Development, and Application of Artificial Intelligence until 2030 last year. The goal is to make Vietnam one of the bright spots in AI development globally. In addition to creating a favorable legal framework for technology development and promoting socio-economic development, Vietnam also particularly emphasizes a responsible approach to technology, ensuring it aligns with Vietnamese culture and avoids serious impacts and risks to the community. To achieve self-reliance in the AI race, Vietnam has established its first AI factory, ready to provide services from January 2025. Building the technology infrastructure in Vietnam also ensures that all generated data will be stored and processed within Vietnamese territory, guaranteeing technological autonomy, national security, and boosting AI competitiveness. In early December 2024, the Vietnamese government and NVIDIA collaborated to open the Vietnam Research and Development Center (VRDC) and an AI Data Center in Vietnam. Immediately afterward, NVIDIA recruited a large number of positions, from engineers to senior managers, to work in Vietnam. This is considered Vietnam's first fruit in the AI race.

While semiconductor and AI races require significant resources over a long period, blockchain is opening up opportunities for Vietnam to lead the world with the official promulgation of the National Blockchain Strategy. The strategy aims for Vietnam to be among the leading countries in the region and hold an international position in the blockchain industry by 2030. The strategy also shapes the future legal framework, helping Vietnam enhance its competitiveness and integrate with global technological trends. Alongside the National Blockchain Strategy, the National Assembly is considering a draft law on the Digital Technology Industry. This will provide a solid initial legal foundation to promote the nascent but highly promising blockchain technology application industry.

The national blockchain strategy opens up significant opportunities to encourage blockchain applications in sectors such as finance, logistics, agriculture, and data management, giving service providers more room to grow and develop.

According to experts, efforts to create a favorable environment with preferential strategies and policies, investment promotion programs, competitive labor costs, and geopolitical stability are making Vietnam an attractive destination in globally important technology fields such as semiconductors, AI, and blockchain. However, to seize this opportunity and quickly move into the new era, experts believe that Vietnam also needs to quickly complete its legal framework, focus on investing in training high-quality human resources, and make appropriate choices for each stage.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cong-nghe-viet-don-van-hoi-moi-185241231165741899.htm