Bac Ninh aims to become Vietnam's semiconductor and AI center

BAC NINH - Semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) industries are considered the “heart” and foundation for high-tech equipment and smart systems because they produce microchips, also known as chips, the “brains” of all modern, high-value electronic devices in the digital age. The two provinces of Bac Giang and Bac Ninh (old) have soon attracted investment for this key industry and are expected to go further when the provinces merge.

Our country has given top priority to the development of the semiconductor industry through many resolutions with specific and specific policies. Mr. Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of the Founding Council of VINASA (Vietnam Software and Information Technology Services Association), Chairman of the Semiconductor Industry Development Committee, Chairman of the Board of Directors ofFPT Corporation, likened semiconductors to “food of the digital era - like rice for Korea”, and AI to “new strategic energy - like oil and gas in the future” and emphasized: “The semiconductor industry is opening a new chapter for Vietnam with golden opportunities to break through, playing an important role in the global value chain, contributing to building a self-reliant and self-reliant economy”.

Comrade Vuong Quoc Tuan, alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee visited Micro Commercial Components Vietnam Company (MCC), Yen Phong II-C Industrial Park.

Solid foundation

Early identification of the importance as well as seizing the above opportunities, Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces - industrial centers of the region and the whole country have focused on attracting investment and developing the semiconductor and AI industry. In particular, Bac Giang has just emerged as the "newcomer" at the top of the country in attracting foreign investment (FDI), and has focused on becoming a semiconductor "stronghold". Thanks to the open policy with the motto "2 less, 3 high", which is using little land, little labor but bringing high added value, high investment capital and high technology, there are now many investors in the semiconductor and AI production chain choosing to stop here.

A turning point since 2021, Hana Micron Vina Co., Ltd. (Korea) is the first enterprise in Vietnam to produce semiconductors, participating in the global supply chain, investing a project of 643 million USD in the province. Up to now, SiFlex Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Korea) has invested 299 million USD, Synergie Cad Vietnam Co., Ltd. (France) 21.2 million USD... In 2024, the production value of these 3 units will reach 23 trillion VND and is forecast to grow 30%/year from now to 2030. The open and attractive investment environment has attracted large semiconductor and AI manufacturing corporations in the world to invest in Bac Giang.

The province has identified high-tech industry, including semiconductors and AI, as a pillar of breakthrough development, leading the economic restructuring and creating new growth momentum. In addition to the advantage of being the top province in the country in terms of competitiveness and large space, Bac Giang also has potential in human resources. The province's population is about 2 million people, of which more than 60% are of working age. The province has a training plan with the goal of supporting 3,000 teachers, university and postgraduate students and about 2,500 workers to study fields and professions serving the semiconductor, information technology, AI industries by 2030. The province is promoting the establishment of a Research and Innovation Center. Recently, the Provincial People's Committee and FPT Joint Stock Company (FPT Group) also signed a development cooperation agreement, in which this enterprise committed to supporting the province in training human resources for the semiconductor and AI industries...

Bac Ninh province (old) has 21 concentrated industrial parks with an area of ​​over 8,200 hectares. Bac Giang has 17 parks, with a scale of nearly 3,800 hectares, and is expected to have 29 parks with an area of ​​about 7,000 hectares by 2030. The merger of the provinces has created a large "industrial capital", creating a new development space that is attractive to investors.

In Bac Ninh (old) - one of the industrial centers of Vietnam, is the leading electronics manufacturing place in the country with the presence of multinational technology corporations such as: Samsung, Canon, Foxconn, Goertek, Luxshare... That success created the foundation for the province to strongly shift to the higher value semiconductor and AI fields. Since 2022, Bac Ninh (old) has oriented to make semiconductors one of the pillars of high-tech development. At the end of 2023, Amkor Group (USA-Korea) decided to invest in a project to produce and test semiconductor materials with a total capital of 1.6 billion USD by 2035, oriented to become the largest semiconductor chip manufacturing center of the Group.

Thanks to attractive policies, the province has also been promoted by many large corporations in the world's semiconductor industry to invest in the area. For example: Victory Giant Technology Group (China) with a project of more than 800 million USD to research, develop production and trade high-precision circuit boards; Micro Commercial Components Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Singapore) builds a factory to manufacture and assemble semiconductor equipment, aiming to become a top 10 enterprise in the world... At the province's investment promotion conferences, many FDI enterprises continue to put their trust in the development here, clearly demonstrating the attraction of this locality to international investors.

With extensive experience in attracting investment and developing industry, Bac Ninh province (old) has proactively embraced the new investment shift trend, consistently implementing the model of "2 less, 3 high, 4 ready" (less land, less labor; high FDI capital, high technology, high efficiency; ready land, ready high-quality human resources, ready mechanisms, ready support to solve difficulties) bringing about clear results. The province also promoted the establishment of a semiconductor and AI innovation research zone.

In particular, Bac Ninh (old) is one of the first localities in the country to issue policies to support training, attract and retain talent for the semiconductor industry with high professional qualifications and good practical skills. This is also the province's commitment to creating advantages for the development of this key industry, improving competitiveness and creating momentum for sustainable economic growth.

Wide open opportunities

Many economic experts say that after the merger of Bac Giang and Bac Ninh, Bac Ninh province's industry is like an "eagle spreading its wings", the goal of becoming the center of semiconductor and AI production in the country, reaching Southeast Asia is even clearer. Not only focusing mainly on packaging and testing (the last step in the semiconductor production chain), but also aiming to develop the entire semiconductor ecosystem, including microchip design, manufacturing of supporting equipment, research on new materials, development of control software and application of AI in semiconductor production with connections, commitments, projects attracting resources from famous corporations and enterprises in the country and around the world in this field.

Electronic equipment manufacturing at Hosiden Vina Company (Quang Chau Industrial Park). Photo: Do ​​Quyen.

To quickly realize the above goals, it is required that industrial infrastructure continues to be improved; there are many innovations to support businesses in the electronics, microchip, and semiconductor industries; special investment attraction policies are issued; incentives are reviewed and supplemented in support mechanisms and training of high-quality human resources; and opportunities are persistently sought for deep participation in all stages to gradually absorb and master microchip manufacturing technology.

With the advantage of being located in the key economic region of Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh and being the northeastern gateway of the capital, when combined, Bac Ninh has a growth rate as well as an economic scale in the leading group of the country, a more comprehensive semiconductor industrial ecosystem, and a huge development potential. The infrastructure system continues to be invested synchronously, closely connected with large industrial zones in the North. The Hanoi - Bac Giang - Lang Son expressway, National Highway 1A, Ring Road 4, key planning such as Gia Binh Airport (Bac Ninh) or logistics centers in Bac Giang will be important launching pads. Obviously, from valuable experience in attracting investment, especially FDI and dynamism and sensitivity to the high-tech development trend of the country and the world, Bac Ninh's semiconductor and AI industry will certainly quickly accelerate.

Bao Khanh - Vu Thang

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/huong-toi-trung-tam-ban-dan-ai-cua-viet-nam-postid420998.bbg