HÀ NỘI — French quantum computing company Pasqal has proposed developing Việt Nam into a regional hub for cloud-based quantum computing services in Southeast Asia.

The proposal was made by Mark Armstrong, Pasqal’s Chief Commercial Officer for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa and Asia-Pacific, at a meeting with Minister of Science and Technology Vũ Hải Quân on Monday.

Beyond the proposal, Pasqal also outlined two other areas of potential cooperation with the ministry: knowledge transfer and workforce training, and research and development of quantum technology applications, particularly in materials science.

The company suggested initially providing access to quantum computing through a cloud platform before considering the direct deployment of systems in Việt Nam. A system with a capacity of about 140 qubits could be deployed in the first half of 2027, depending on its scale and specific implementation conditions, Armstrong said.

For his part, Minister Quân said developing high-performance computing infrastructure was necessary to support research at universities, research institutes and scientific organisations.

Existing computing resources remained limited as demand for access to advanced technologies increased, he said, adding that the ministry sought to work with businesses to develop and operate shared infrastructure, distribute investment costs and improve access for researchers and organisations working on artificial intelligence.

The minister proposed that Pasqal cooperate with Vietnamese technology group FPT to develop and implement a pilot project to assess the quantum computing system's performance, operational capabilities and practical applications.

The pilot's results would provide a basis for the parties to consider further cooperation, he said.

Việt Nam is accelerating the development of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation under Politburo Resolution No 57-NQ/TW, which identifies quantum technology as a strategic priority.

The Việt Nam-European Union Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in January 2026, also identifies science and technology as an important pillar.

The Government encourages international technology companies to expand cooperation in research and development, workforce training and innovation in the country. — VNS