Vietnam becomes a semiconductor manufacturer

Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: The global chip race is heating up, and Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises should be able to raise its position on the global semiconductor manufacturing map as some leading corporations are investing in chip production in the country.

Prof. Nguyen Mai, President of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises (VAFIE), said the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged trade conflicts have caused a disruption of semiconductor supplies. Global companies involved in using semiconductors to make smartphones, self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI) technology or data centers have been forced to cut their productivity.

He emphasied that countries are in a race to produce semiconductors and chips. In particular, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) in September released its strategy for implementing its US$50 billion CHIPS for America programme.

And China has doubled its spending and enacted policies to support semiconductor manufacturing companies.

Vietnam has also become a centre of the semiconductor industry as Samsung announced its plan to produce semiconductors from July next year with an additional investment of US$920 million.

The country is also home to Intel’s largest assembly and testing factory with an investment of $1.5 billion.