HANOI, August 28 - Vietnamese officials met senior executives from Qualcomm and Samsung Electronics in Hanoi to urge expanded spending on artificial intelligence, semiconductors and related research and development as part of an effort to reposition the country as a regional innovation centre.
At a meeting on Thursday, Communist Party General Secretary and President To Lam asked Qualcomm Chief Executive Cristiano Amon to increase investment in AI, semiconductors, robotics, 5G/6G, data centres and next-generation connectivity technologies, according to a government statement. The government said the request was made in the context of Vietnam moving toward a growth model anchored by science, technology, innovation, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, and that Hanoi welcomed additional investment in those areas.
Qualcomm was reported as saying it intends to expand its footprint in Vietnam and to develop the country as the company’s third-largest artificial intelligence research and development hub globally. The company already operates an R&D centre in Hanoi and has carried out collaboration with Vietnamese firms such as Viettel and VinSmart, the government statement said.
Also on Thursday, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung met Samsung Electronics Chief Executive Roh Tae-moon and urged Samsung to remain a strategic partner in building Vietnam’s technological capacity, strengthening its industrial base and deepening integration into global value chains, according to a separate government statement. The prime minister praised Samsung’s role in Vietnam’s industrial development and exports and described the country as one of Samsung’s most important manufacturing hubs worldwide.
The government noted that total exports from Samsung’s mobile phone manufacturing operations in Vietnam had reached $500 billion by the end of June since production began 17 years earlier. It also stated that Samsung had invested $24 billion in Vietnam to date.
Roh was quoted as saying Samsung planned additional investment and training in Vietnam, and that the company was working with the government to enable local firms to participate more fully in its global supply chain.
What officials emphasized
- Vietnam is seeking to advance a technology-led growth model and is encouraging multinational tech companies to increase capital and R&D commitments.
- Qualcomm aims to expand its AI R&D presence in Vietnam and already has an R&D centre in Hanoi with prior collaboration with domestic firms.
- Samsung remains a major manufacturing partner in Vietnam, with significant cumulative exports and investment, and has indicated plans for further investment and training.
Context provided by officials and executives in the meetings
Vietnamese leadership framed the conversations as part of a wider push toward innovation, highlighting areas including semiconductors, robotics, next-generation connectivity and data infrastructure. Corporate representatives conveyed intentions to grow operations and support local engagement, while specific timelines and scales of new commitments were not detailed in the statements released by the government.