Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham MinhChinh hosted a reception in Hanoi on December 7 for President of the US SemiconductorIndustry Association (SIA) John Neuffer and leaders of major USsemiconductor companies such as Intel, Qualcom, Ampere and ARM, who are on a working visit to Vietnam.

PM Chinh told them that in the recently-established comprehensive strategic partnership, Vietnam and the US have agreedto make science-technology and innovation a new important pillar in their relationship.Therefore, it is necessary to mobilise resources and brainpower and prioritise certainfocal areas for Vietnam, particularly the semiconductor industry in whichVietnam has considerable potential and advantages.

He believed that cooperation in the semiconductorindustry will open up numerous opportunities for businesses of both nations to tap their respective advantages and bring economic benefits to them, helping to realise the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

Vietnam is building a human resourcesdevelopment strategy and project along with suitable incentives to attract leading foreignsemiconductor manufacturers, designers and developers to the country, the government leader stressed.

Currently, Vietnam hasaround 6,000 engineers working in the semiconductor industry for both domesticand foreign enterprises, he said, adding the country aims to train 50,000 highly-skilled engineers betweennow and 2030, with a particular focus on those specialising in semiconductorchip design.

Vietnam sendsnearly 30,000 students to the US each year, leading Southeast Asiancountries and ranking in the top 5 countries with the highest number of internationalstudents in the US. About 2.2 million overseas Vietnamese are also living inthe US, he said.

He proposed SIA pushforward the US's early recognition of Vietnam's market economy status andeliminate unnecessary controls in technology transfer. He urged for enhancedcooperation in technology transfer, research, production, workforce training, buildingof laboratories, and support for Vietnamese firms to join the US’s globalsemiconductor supply chain.

The PM also called for collaboration in building and fine-tuningmechanisms and policies to sustainably develop the semiconductor industry.

The Ministry ofPlanning and Investment was assigned to work with relevant ministries tocontinue with specific joint tasks with SIA.

Neuffer, for his part,spoke highly of Vietnam's significant and impressive progress in the semiconductor industry,making it a crucial destination and a key player in the semiconductor supplychain.

Vietnam is the most attractive destination for USinvestors in the semiconductor industry and could play the role as a strategic partner in the supply of workforce,he said.

Informing the hostabout the results of his working sessions with relevant Vietnamese a🍷gencies, he said US enterprises are eagerly waiting for Vietnam's national semiconductor strategy. He believedthat Vietnam will play an even more crucial role in the global 🌌supply chain,quickly seizing emerging opportunities in this field, especially in chipdesign, which does not require as much investment as manufacturing.

The US businesses areready to strengthen relations, boost investment and cooperate with Vietnam inthe semiconductor industry, especially in training talents and high-qualityworkforce, contributing to promoting mutually beneficial relations between thetwo countries, he added. Founded in 1977, SIAgathers a network of member companies accounting for up to 99% of thesemiconductor industry's revenue in the US, with two-thirds from foreign enterprises. It hasplayed a proactive role in prompting the US to foster cooperative efforts indeveloping Vietnam's semiconductor ecosystem./.