Vietnam semiconductor association, FPT ink cooperation pacts with US firms

Vietnamese and American firms have struck several agreements to boost semiconductor sector growth and IT infrastructure development in both countries, one of the signatories said on Thursday.

Several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed by the Ho Chi Minh City Semiconductor Association (HSIA) and FPT Software with U.S.-based companies.

The HSIA signed MoUs with the Law Offices of Gabriel J. Christian and Associates, Omni Systems, The Elevate Leadership Group, Avdyne Aero Services and Emission Resource Group.

“This strategic alliance aims to propel the semiconductor sector to new heights in both nations,” the Law Offices of Gabriel J. Christian and Associates said in its Thursday statement.

The partnership with the HSIA, a key technology enabler in Vietnam's largest city, will expand opportunities and leverage Vietnam's robust electronics industry, which dominates the country's trade landscape, it added.

The collaborations will potentially enhance semiconductor research, development, education and manufacturing; as also foster university partnerships in Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts.

The MoUs are in alignment with strategic goals outlined in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed by Vietnam and the U.S. in September 2023, underscoring the former’s pivotal role in diversifying the global semiconductor supply chain, the statement said.

Vietnam’s largest IT service provider FPT Software also signed an MoU with the five abovementioned American companies.

The MoU is “set to revolutionize IT infrastructure development in both the U.S. and Vietnam,” the statement proclaimed.

They aim to secure joint funding for innovative projects under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, fostering investment in semiconductor development initiatives.

The collaborations will also focus on enhancing IT infrastructure through workforce development, student exchanges, new training programs and educational seminars.

After the U.S. and Vietnam double upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership during President Biden’s visit last year, government agencies and businesses from the two countries have ramped up cooperation in the high-tech sector, especially semiconductors.

During his working visit to the U.S. days after the upgrade, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called on U.S. tech companies to boost investment in Vietnam. Since then, a host of American businesses have visited the country to explore investment opportunities.

Most recently, the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment opened an analog Integrated Circuit (IC) design course in Hanoi with the support from Qorvo, Inc. and Cadence Design Systems, Inc.