US-Vietnam Collaboration: Advancing AI and Semiconductor Partnerships

Strategic Partnership with Intel: Vietnam Aims to Become a Tech Hub

On May 13, local time, in the United States, a delegation from the Ministry of Finance led by Deputy Minister Cao Anh Tuan met with Ms. Sarah Kemp, Intel’s Vice President for Government Affairs. The discussion was part of a series of events alongside the SelectUSA 2025 Investment Summit, where Vietnam showcased its position as a leading strategic partner in Southeast Asia.

Deputy Minister Cao Anh Tuan stated that Vietnam sent a delegation of over 130 members from more than 100 businesses to attend the event. This demonstrates the Vietnamese government’s special attention to and strong commitment to the US market. Vietnam views the US not only as an economic partner but also as a global center for technological development and innovation.

Deputy Minister Tuan highly appreciated Intel’s pioneering and sustainable role in Vietnam over the past two decades. Intel Products Vietnam (IPV) is currently the corporation’s largest semiconductor assembly and testing facility worldwide, contributing over $90 billion to exports since 2010. With more than 50% of the world’s chip output being tested here, Intel has laid a solid foundation for Vietnam’s integration into the global semiconductor value chain.

The Ministry of Finance also acknowledged Intel’s collaboration with the National Innovation Center (NIC) in implementing training programs such as “AI for All” and “AI for the Public Sector.” These programs have helped train over 10,000 high-quality human resources for Vietnam while supporting the development of e-government and the application of artificial intelligence in public administration.

Regarding AI talent training, the Vietnamese Prime Minister has signed Decision 1017/QD-TTg, approving the “Program for Developing Human Resources for the Semiconductor Industry towards 2030, with a vision to 2050.” The goal is to train at least 50,000 high-quality human resources with university degrees and above for the semiconductor industry. Therefore, Vietnam hopes that Intel will participate in curriculum design, provide scholarships, academic materials, and support practical training for students in Vietnam.

At the end of 2024, the government issued Decree 182/2024/ND-CP, establishing a support fund for investment in AI, high technology, and semiconductors. The Deputy Minister suggested that Intel research the incentives in Decree 182/2024/ND-CP to form an R&D center in Vietnam, especially in Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, aiming to build Intel’s core technology hub in Asia in Vietnam.

“We hope that Intel will closely coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and relevant units to promote the effective implementation of these contents in the coming time,” emphasized Deputy Minister Cao Anh Tuan.

Representing Intel, Ms. Sarah Kemp, Vice President for Government Affairs, appreciated the Vietnamese government’s actions and timely handling of recent trade issues, including a flexible response to the US’ tax policies. According to Ms. Kemp, the proactive and respectful approach of Vietnamese ministries, including the Ministry of Finance, is a key factor in Intel’s long-term investment in Vietnam.

Moreover, Ms. Kemp emphasized that Vietnam has created a stable and reliable investment environment with clear policies and special incentives since 2006 for high-tech enterprises.

“This is a solid foundation for Intel to aim to develop its core technology hub in Asia right here in Vietnam in the near future,” Intel’s representative emphasized.

Dialogue with Meta: Expanding the Innovation Ecosystem and Preparing Infrastructure for the AI Future

Also, on May 13, at Meta DC headquarters, the Ministry of Finance delegation met with Ms. Molly Montgomery, Public Policy Director for the US market, and representatives of Meta’s specialized departments. The discussion focused on orientations for building an AI ecosystem, open data, digital infrastructure, and commercial presence in Vietnam.

Ms. Montgomery affirmed that Meta considers Vietnam a strategic market and is becoming increasingly important in the context of the global supply chain shift. She emphasized that Meta, NIC, and the “AI for Vietnam” organization are continuing to collaborate on building an open-source Vietnamese language dataset, a crucial element for developing AI models.

Notably, Ms. Montgomery appreciated Vietnam’s stable and flexible approach to handling issues related to US tariffs. According to her, Vietnam’s positive responses help build strong confidence for multinational corporations like Meta to expand their investments.

At the same time, she pointed out that in the context of global uncertainties, maintaining consistent policies is a prerequisite for international businesses to maintain their presence and develop long-term in Vietnam. She also proposed promoting additional cooperation channels between the two governments and between Meta and Vietnamese agencies.

On the Vietnamese side, Mr. Vo Xuan Hoai, Deputy Director of the National Innovation Center (NIC), shared that the Vietnamese government is boosting investment in AI infrastructure, promoting human resource training, and issuing appropriate institutional frameworks to facilitate the development of new technologies.

Mr. Dang Ngoc Minh, Deputy Director of the Tax Department (Ministry of Finance), requested Meta to supplement the dossier related to the proposal to apply the Double Taxation Agreement between Vietnam and Ireland. In addition, Mr. Minh also emphasized the importance of determining Meta’s official commercial presence in the Vietnamese market, thereby facilitating policy connectivity and promoting high-tech investment.

Ms. Dao Thanh Huong, Deputy Director of the Foreign Investment Agency (Ministry of Finance), said that Vietnam is attracting a series of large corporations from the US, such as Intel and Apple, thanks to its stable and open investment environment. Therefore, Ms. Huong suggested that Meta soon establish a legal entity in Vietnam to facilitate research, investment, and expanded strategic cooperation in digital technology, open data, and virtual reality fields.

At the end of the working session, Ms. Molly Montgomery acknowledged all the proposals from the Vietnamese side and affirmed that Meta would study them specifically and respond in the future, opening up possibilities for more in-depth cooperation with Vietnamese agencies.