Vietnam-US Collaboration: Forging Strategic Partnerships in AI and Semiconductors

According to the Ministry of Finance, on May 13 (local time), as part of their business trip to the United States and participation in the SelectUSA 2025 investment program, the Ministry of Finance’s delegation held important meetings with senior leaders of Intel Corporation and Meta (Facebook). The discussions focused on strategic collaborations in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors, identified as core development areas for both Vietnam and the United States in the coming decade. These partnerships aim to contribute to the balance of trade and investment between the two countries.

Vietnam Invites Intel to Establish an R&D Center: Intel Commits to Long-Term Development in Vietnam

During the meeting with Sarah Kemp, Intel’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Vice Minister of Finance Cao Anh Tuan provided an update on the activities of the Ministry of Finance’s delegation and Vietnamese businesses at the SelectUSA 2025 conference. With over 130 members from more than 100 Vietnamese businesses in attendance, Vietnam became the third-largest delegation at the US Investment Summit 2025. This reflects the Vietnamese government’s consistent commitment to considering the United States as a comprehensive strategic partner and a top destination for Vietnamese businesses seeking cooperation and investment opportunities in the US market.

Vice Minister Cao Anh Tuan commended Intel’s long-term investment commitment in Vietnam over the past two decades. Intel Products Vietnam (IPV) is currently the largest chip assembly and testing facility in the corporation’s global network, accounting for over 50% of Intel’s chip testing output and contributing more than $90 billion in export value since 2010.

The Vice Minister acknowledged Intel’s pioneering role in collaborating with the National Innovation Center (NIC) to implement the “AI for All” program, a breakthrough initiative to democratize AI knowledge. This program has helped train over 10,000 high-quality professionals in the fields of semiconductors and AI for Vietnam. He also highlighted Intel’s contribution to the “AI for the Public Sector” program, a crucial strategy in Vietnam’s journey towards a digital government.

Regarding AI talent development, Vice Minister Cao Anh Tuan mentioned that the Prime Minister of Vietnam has approved the “Program for Developing Human Resources in the Semiconductor Industry towards 2030, with a vision to 2050.” This program aims to train at least 50,000 professionals with university degrees or higher for the semiconductor industry. Vietnam hopes that Intel will participate in curriculum design, provide scholarships and academic materials, and support practical training for students in Vietnam.

Towards the end of 2024, the Vietnamese government issued Decree 182/2024/ND-CP, establishing a Support Investment Fund to promote investments in AI, high technology, and semiconductors. The Vice Minister invited Intel to explore the incentives and preferential policies offered by this decree to establish a research and development (R&D) center in Vietnam, particularly in the Hoa Lac High-Tech Park, with a vision to make Vietnam Intel’s core technology hub in Asia.

At the meeting, Sarah Kemp, Intel’s Vice President of Government Affairs, congratulated the Ministry of Finance’s delegation on their activities at SelectUSA 2025. She also appreciated Vietnam’s timely responses to US countervailing duties, both at the government-to-government and government-to-business levels.

Ms. Kemp commended the Vietnamese government, especially the Ministry of Finance, for offering special incentives to pioneer investors in high-tech industries as early as 2006. She affirmed that Intel highly values the respectful and thoughtful consideration given to their policy recommendations and challenges by various agencies within the Ministry of Finance. These factors provide a solid foundation for Intel’s long-term development plans in Vietnam.

“We appreciate the Vietnamese government’s support for the development of high-tech industries, especially in terms of policies,” expressed Ms. Kemp.

Vietnam as a Strategic Market: Meta Commits to Sustaining and Expanding its Operations in Vietnam

On the same day, May 13, Mr. Vo Xuan Hoai, Deputy Director of the National Innovation Center (NIC), along with other members of the Ministry of Finance’s delegation, met with Molly Montgomery, Meta’s Public Policy Director for the US market, and her colleagues.

Ms. Montgomery emphasized the importance of Vietnam as a strategic market for Meta, especially with the shift of many manufacturing plants to the country. Meta, in collaboration with NIC and “AI for Vietnam,” continues to build an open-source Vietnamese language dataset to foster AI research, development, and applications.

She acknowledged Vietnam’s proactive approach in addressing issues related to US tariffs: “For companies with large production networks in Vietnam, the statements and responses from the Vietnamese government to the US administration are significant for our continued investment and expansion plans in the country.”

Ms. Montgomery affirmed that stable and predictable policies are prerequisites for foreign investors in Vietnam. However, she noted the presence of many uncertain factors in the global landscape. “Going forward, companies like Meta, in addition to committing to sustaining or expanding our operations in Vietnam or any other country, need enhanced engagement and collaboration between governments and with Meta. We look forward to even more productive activities in the future,” she added.

Mr. Vo Xuan Hoai shared Vietnam’s concrete commitments and actions to promote the development of high-tech industries and semiconductors. He mentioned the recent issuance of Decree 182/2024/ND-CP, establishing a Support Investment Fund to boost investments in AI, high technology, and semiconductors. Vietnam is also focusing on developing the necessary infrastructure for AI advancement.

Recalling Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to Meta’s headquarters in 2023, Mr. Hoai stated that the three key areas for AI development discussed then—infrastructure, institutions, and people—are now largely in place in Vietnam. “I firmly believe that Meta can expand its ecosystem in Vietnam in the coming years,” he added.

In discussions regarding tariff-related matters, Mr. Dang Ngoc Minh, Deputy Director of the Tax Department, requested that Meta promptly provide information related to their request for the application of the Double Taxation Agreement between Vietnam and Ireland. He also suggested that given Meta’s significant revenue in the Vietnamese market, they should establish a commercial presence in the country to strengthen policy connections and promote high-tech investments between Vietnam and the US, particularly in areas like AI, open data, and virtual reality.

Ms. Dao Thanh Huong, Deputy Director of the Foreign Investment Agency, added that Vietnam has successfully attracted a large number of direct investors from the United States, including prominent names such as Intel and Apple. This testifies to the stability and reliability of Vietnam’s investment policies.

Vietnam continues to prioritize attracting FDI in the fields of digital technology, innovation, and creativity—areas where Meta has a strong presence. Therefore, Vietnam looks forward to Meta establishing a commercial presence in the country to explore opportunities and ensure a long-term commitment to the Vietnamese market.