Meta, Synopsys, and NVIDIA were the stops in Silicon Valley made by Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 18 (local time) during his visit to the US for bilateral ties and the 78th session of the UN General Assembly (UNG78). 

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (2nd from right) and NVIDIA President Jensen Huang in Silicon Valley on Sept 18 (local time). Photos: VNS/VGP

The visit to the US leading technology companies has yielded results with some deals signed between US and Vietnamese partners in his presence.

His first stop was at Nvidia, the world’s leading company in semiconductor and AI chips.

In his discussions with Nvidia Co-founder and President Jensen Huang, PM Chinh emphasized the value of Nvidia’s ongoing investment in Vietnam, particularly in sectors that support the nation’s priorities.

He also provided insightful advice on how to further integrate Vietnam into the world supply chain through policies, human resource training, and technological advancements. He extended an invitation to the President of Nvidia to visit Vietnam and expressed hope that a manufacturing facility would be built there, making Vietnam a significant hub in Southeast Asia.

NVIDIA is a significant player in the server and AI industries in Vietnam. The company and Viettel have signed an agreement to help Vietnam improve its AI capabilities. NVIDIA is also working with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) to develop a supercomputing system that uses NVIDIA’s A100 chip for applications in science, technology, health, and education.

Vietnam's Ministry of Planning and Investment and Synopsys sign a memorandum of cooperation.

In his visit to Synopsys, an electronic design automation (EDA) company founded in 1986, PM Chinh highlighted the importance of strengthening Synopsys' production and supply chain in Vietnam. He expected Synopsys to provide technological, managerial, and financial solutions to accelerate Vietnam’s sustainable development.

Synopsys entered Vietnam in 2016, establishing four offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Danang, employing nearly 500 engineers. The company has signed an agreement with Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park to support IC design workforce training in Vietnam.

Specifically, the Prime Minister requested Synopsys to support the development of Vietnam’s National Innovation Center (NIC), participate in training high-quality human resources, and continue attracting Vietnamese talents in the US.

During his visit, Synopsys signed two memorandums of cooperation pertaining to the development of IC design human resources in Vietnam and support for Vietnam’s semiconductor chip industry.

Prime Minister Chinh and Vietnamese ministers at Meta Platforms.

On the same day, PM Chinh also visited Meta Platforms (formerly known as Facebook), a multinational technology corporation known for its ownership of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp, and other products and services.

Meta Vice President Joel Kaplan explained that prior to the Covid-19 epidemic, Meta had started manufacturing numerous items for the ‘virtual space’ metaverse in Vietnam. The company stated its intention to increase its investment in Vietnam, which will likely include maintaining the production of metaverse devices in the ensuing years.

PM Chinh believed that Meta would offer technological solutions, encourage technology transfer, work with him on financial issues, and advance initiatives for digital transformation in response to conversations and insights from company executives.

He also praised Meta for improving its cooperation with NIC as well as Vietnamese organizations and companies.

Prime Minister Chinh (L) and Vice President of Meta Joel Kaplan at Meta Platforms.