HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính urged Qualcomm Inc., the US chip and wireless technology giant, to continue expanding investment in Việt Nam, with a focus on core technologies and higher-value segments of the semiconductor supply chain, during a reception on Tuesday for its President and CEO Cristiano Amon in Hà Nội.

The PM lauded Qualcomm’s two-decade partnership with Việt Nam, spanning mobile connectivity, technology transfer, artificial intelligence (AI) research, STEM education, startup incubation, and innovation ecosystem development.

He highlighted Qualcomm’s launch of an AI research and development centre in Hanoi, now its third-largest globally after the US and India.

He congratulated Qualcomm and the state-owned Việt Nam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) on signing an agreement during Amon’s visit to establish the VNPT–Qualcomm Centre of Excellence.

He outlined Việt Nam’s economic targets, aiming for 8.3-8.5 per cent GDP growth in 2025 and double-digit growth in the coming years, fueled by knowledge, sci-tech, innovation and digital transformation.

He also urged Qualcomm to partner with Vietnamese companies, research institutes, universities and the National Innovation Centre (NIC) to foster a startup ecosystem, integrate local firms deeper into Qualcomm’s global supply and production chains, and share expertise in governance, institutional reform and workforce training.

He pointed to new incentives for foreign experts and scientists in hi-tech industries, including visa exemptions.

The Vietnamese Government is committed to a favourable business environment for profitable and efficient operations, based on a principle of working together, winning together, sharing joy and happiness, harmonising benefits and sharing risks, he said.

Amon, in reply, expressed optimism about Việt Nam’s growth prospects and cooperation opportunities, praising Việt Nam’s policies on sci-tech, innovation and digital transformation, as well as the rapid progress of Qualcomm’s Vietnamese partners such as Viettel, VNPT and FPT.

He detailed plans to collaborate in AI, semiconductors, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, electronics and smartphones, with the aim of making Việt Nam a regional R&D hub, particularly for AI, saying that Qualcomm stays ready to nurture skilled Vietnamese talents.

Qualcomm, valued at about US$160 billion, is a global leader in advanced wireless and 5G technology and is expanding into Edge AI. It has operated in Việt Nam for over two decades, launching its first Southeast Asia R&D centre in Hà Nội and recently acquiring a generative AI company from VinAI/Vingroup to bolster its AI capabilities.

Over the past two decades, Qualcomm has run multiple programmes to develop Việt Nam’s innovation ecosystem, including the Qualcomm Việt Nam Innovation Challenge, which has incubated 29 tech startups, raised over $32 million in funding, commercialised 25 products, registered 87 patents, and collaborated with Viettel and VNPT to advance 5G and WiFi technologies. — VNA/VNS