Vietnam seeks further cooperation with Meta, Microsoft: PM

Vietnam is looking for further cooperation with Meta and Microsoft, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at meetings with executives of the American technological giants as part of his working trip in the U.S.

Microsoft

At a meeting in New York on Wednesday (local time) with Bill Gates, co-founder and chairman of Microsoft, also co-founder of the Gates Foundation, PM Chinh invited the billionaire to visit Vietnam and support activities at Vietnam’s National Innovation Center (NIC). The NIC, under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, is expected to inaugurate a new facility in Hanoi next month, the PM added.

Chinh also urged Gates to advise Vietnam on science-technology development and innovation, contributing to Vietnam’s strong and sustainable growth.

The government chief proposed the philanthropist, via suitable funds, aid Vietnam’s startups in the sectors of innovation, science-technology, climate change adaptation, healthcare, education, green growth, renewable energy, and others. Vietnam is focusing on growth based on science-technology and innovation, especially participation in the supply chain of chips and semiconductors.

In reply, Gates said Vietnam is an integral part of Microsoft and the fund’s development strategies. He also expressed his willingness to boost cooperation with Vietnam, especially in the environment, clean water, and hygiene; healthcare, tuberculosis; and artificial intelligence (AI) and modern education. He would send a message on the inauguration of the NIC’s new facility, he continued.

Meta

During a meeting at Meta’s headquarters in Silicon Valley, California on Monday (local time), Chinh proposed Meta, the parent firm of social media platform Facebook, help Vietnam with technological solutions and technology transfer.

He also recommended collaboration in science-technology development, innovation, digitalization, corporate governance, high-tech workforce training, the fight against cybercrimes, cybersecurity, and dissemination of the Vietnam-U.S. partnership.

He also commended Meta’s cooperation with the NIC, government agencies, and businesses in Vietnam.

For his part, Joel Kaplan, vice president for global policy at Meta, affirmed that Vietnam is a major market with high potential. Meta is striving to cooperate with Vietnamese agencies in supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro enterprises, especially in approaching customers and training human resources for digitalization.

The Facebook page of the Vietnamese government, with 4.2 million followers, is the most successful governmental Facebook page in the region, the executive highlighted, adding that Facebook plans to expand this model to other agencies in Vietnam.

Meta used to produce metaverse equipment in Vietnam before the activity was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and plans to resume production and make other investments in Vietnam, he added.