EE TIMES: Vietnam sets sights on becoming a semiconductor hub

As part of a visit to Vietnam, Mr. Nitin Dahad, editor-in-chief at Embedded magazine and reporter at EE Times (a more than 50-year-old magazine specializing in the global electronics sector), has had an exclusive interview with Mr. Tran Dang Hoa, Chairman of FPT Information System Corporation (FPT IS) and Chairman of FPT Semiconductor.,JSC (FPT Semiconductor), and Mr. Nguyen Vinh Quang, Director of FPT Semiconductor.

At the beginning of the article, EE Times comments that semiconductors don’t come to mind when thinking of Vietnam. However, U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit and announcement of a strategic partnership in September catapultes the country into the limelight and fires up the country’s ambition to be a key semiconductor hub in the region.

Mr. Nitin Dahad, Mr. Tran Dang Hoa and Mr. Nguyen Vinh Quang at the interview. Photo: Nitin Dahad/EE Times.

“We want the chip industry to rise in Vietnam like it did in Taiwan. FPT Corporation looking to deliver the capability for Vietnam last year established FPT Semiconductor, focusing on design and development of power management ICs (PMICs)”, said Mr. Tran Dang Hoa.

“In addition, to provide high-quality human resources for the semiconductor sector, FPT University has opened the first Department of Semiconductor and Microelectronics in Vietnam with an aim to educate up to 15,000 engineers by 2030, contributing to realizing the country’s ambitions in semiconductors. Besides, FPT University will cooperate with key universities around the world, including Arizona State University and National Taiwan University to educate engineers specialized in chip production, package, test, as well as design”, emphasized Mr. Nguyen Vinh Quang – Director of FPT Semiconductor.

Recently, FPT Corporation, Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC) and the U.S. Technology Expert Organization have signed a cooperation agreement to establish Vietnam Semiconductor Hub for Education (VSHE). The Center aims to enhance the education of semiconductor talents, sponsor semiconductor projects, and create conditions for potential IC projects to come into practice.

Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC), FPT Corporation, and the U.S. Technology Expert Organization – TreSemi sign a cooperation agreement to establish Vietnam Semiconductor Hub for Education.

As part of President Biden’s visit to Vietnam in September, the two countries have announced expanded joint initiatives, including new partnership on semiconductor to boost resilience of the supply chains for the U.S., workforce development initiatives to assist the semiconductor capacity in the U.S., policy coordination in the manufacture of electronic components, and bilateral joint research.

According to a statement put out by the White House during the time of President Biden’s visit to Vietnam, the U.S. believes that Vietnam can play a critical role in building resilient semiconductor supply chains that promote manufacturing and industry development at home under the U.S. CHIPS Act.

Find out more about the interview at https://www.eetimes.com/vietnam-sets-sights-on-becoming-semiconductor-hub/ 

According to Nitin Dahad/EE Times.