Hanoi positions its role in the global semiconductor supply chain

DNVN - To promote the development of the semiconductor industry, the Hanoi Department of Science and Technology organized a seminar entitled "Positioning in participating in the global semiconductor supply chain: Criteria, leading powers, Vietnam's path, Hanoi's vision" on the afternoon of October 22.

Scene from the seminar. Photo: Hanoi City Electronic Information Portal.

This is seen as an important first step in the strategy to promote Hanoi's deep involvement in the semiconductor value chain, while affirming the vision of making the capital city a training and innovation hub in this field.

Orientation and commitment to investing in core technologies.

During the seminar, Director of the Department of Science and Technology Tran Anh Tuan emphasized that Hanoi is focusing on its mission to lead in the development of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation nationwide. The city has demonstrated its readiness to experiment with challenging projects in science and technology and digital transformation.

One of Hanoi's key objectives is to master technology, especially core technologies such as semiconductors and chips, with the aim of creating significant added value and enhancing its international competitiveness, enabling the city to achieve outstanding growth.

With clear determination, Hanoi has committed to allocating 4% of its budget to science and technology development, higher than the national average of 3%. The city has also proposed to the Steering Committee for the implementation of Resolution 57/NQ-TƯ appropriate and effective measures, starting with identifying "bottlenecks" within the people themselves, testing models, and implementing them widely.

Many favorable conditions exist for the development of semiconductor technology.

According to experts, Hanoi plays a crucial role in Vietnam's semiconductor development strategy. The city possesses a significant advantage due to its proximity to the Hoa Lac High-Tech Park. Hanoi is positioning Hoa Lac to become the "Silicon Valley of Vietnam," focusing on three key areas in semiconductors: APT (packaging, assembly, and testing), AI research and development, and IoT chip design for high-tech agriculture . By 2030, Hoa Lac aims to attract $10 billion in investment, with 30% coming from FDI enterprises in the semiconductor industry.

Hanoi's greatest advantage lies in its high-quality workforce. Currently, Hanoi leads the country in training personnel for the semiconductor industry, with prestigious universities such as Vietnam National University (VNU), Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST), and FPT University, training approximately 5,000 STEM students annually. Notably, VNU's National Semiconductor Training Center is projected to train 10,000 engineers by 2030, focusing on integrated circuit design and manufacturing.

Challenges to be addressed

Despite possessing many advantages, participating in the global semiconductor supply chain is not easy. Professor Dr. Nong Duc Ke, Director of the ASIAN Institute for Advanced Technology Research (AIAT), emphasized that the crucial and prerequisite factor is for Hanoi and Vietnam to accurately define their role and position in the global semiconductor value chain.

The semiconductor industry is enormous, requiring high-level technology and massive capital investment, amounting to tens of billions of USD. The semiconductor manufacturing process is highly complex, involving nearly 1,750 different steps, and only 18 countries and territories participate in its production. Professor Dr. Nong Duc Ke affirmed that developing the semiconductor industry is a monumental undertaking, exceeding the capabilities of a single locality, requiring a comprehensive national strategy and close coordination in an environment that is "willing to take risks, spend money, and share resources."

Breakthrough solutions and approaches

Experts have proposed several solutions for Hanoi, specifically:

Developing a diverse workforce : Dr. Ngo Dac Thuan (Chairman of the Board of Directors of IP Group Joint Stock Company) recommends that Hanoi should not only focus on training semiconductor chip design engineers, but should also allocate human resources in a reasonable proportion: 30% for chip design, 40% for chip manufacturing processes, and 30% for packaging and testing.

Mastering Intellectual Property (IP): Promoting the development of creative thinking, research and development (R&D), along with intellectual property governance. Professor Tu Trung Chan (Deputy Director of the AIAT Institute) suggested that Hanoi should take the lead in establishing an Intellectual Property Bank (IP Bank), a place to store, share, and commercialize prototype chip designs. He emphasized that "Intellectual property is the foundation of the semiconductor industry."

Cooperation and development of supporting industries : Dr. Ngo Dac Thuan proposed strengthening international cooperation, building a network of shared laboratories, and integrating intellectual property training into university programs. He also emphasized the need to develop supporting industries and attract both FDI and domestic businesses.

Developing a national microchip technology roadmap : Dr. Ngo Dac Thuan believes that Vietnam needs to quickly develop a national microchip technology roadmap to clearly identify capabilities in each stage, from materials and design to applications.

Developing a bold development strategy : Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Truong Viet Dung stated that Hanoi is proactively seeking a "chief architect" to advise on and develop a comprehensive development strategy for the semiconductor industry. The city is also shifting its mindset towards supporting "Innovation Hubs" of private entities, creating a "win-win" cooperation model, and learning from successful models worldwide such as Seoul (South Korea) and BLOCK71 (Singapore). Furthermore, Hanoi will implement a pilot model of a controlled testing mechanism (sandbox) to accelerate the development of the semiconductor industry.

The contributions and suggestions made during the seminar will be gratefully considered and recorded by the City to develop a feasible roadmap for Hanoi's semiconductor industry.

Hien Thao

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/ha-noi-dinh-vi-vai-role-trong-chuoi-cung-ung-ban-dan-toan-cau/20251023101119146