PM wants VNPT to lead semiconductor industry

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered VNPT and some other state-owned telecom groups to lead the country’s semiconductor industry.

These groups need to strive to be the pioneers in innovation, digital transformation and economic recovery and to develop projects to grow the digital economy, according to a government release Thursday.

Vietnam has identified semiconductor as a key national industry for the next 30-50 years.

It eyes to become a semiconductor hub that designs, packages and tests products by 2030.

The country has been attracting interests from large semiconductor companies in the U.S., South Korea, Japan and Europe.

When U.S. President Joe Biden visited Vietnam in September last year, one of the key areas of partnership the two countries agreed on was semiconductor development.

Vietnam's chip exports to the U.S. increased by nearly 75% in a year, reaching$562.5 million in February 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Vietnam accounted for 11.6% of U.S. chip imports, behind only Malaysia and Taiwan (China), it said. (theo VNE)