On January 28, FPT will formally announce the establishment of the FPT Advanced Semiconductor Packaging and Testing Plant. This move follows closely after Viettel’s recent groundbreaking on its semiconductor manufacturing facility, signaling Vietnam’s deeper entry into the global chip industry.

Experts note that semiconductor production is among the most complex industrial processes in the world, involving nanometer-scale lithography, ultra-precise ion implantation, and near-sterile cleanroom environments. Very few countries have mastered the full value chain.

Semiconductor manufacturing is a strategic step for any nation, and integrated circuit design opens the door for Vietnam to participate more fully in the multi-billion-dollar semiconductor industry.

Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of the Semiconductor Industry Development Committee and Chairman of FPT, likened semiconductors to the “food of the digital age” and AI to the new strategic energy, similar to oil in the future.

Binh reflected on FPT’s history, noting that more than 25 years ago the company pioneered “Go Global” efforts and opened up to the world in the 1990s, yet domestic enterprises were slow to capitalize on global technology export opportunities. He emphasized that semiconductors are essential for the digital era, and the world’s demand for chips will be as fundamental as food is for humans. AI, he said, will become a key strategic resource of the future.

He stressed that, despite missing earlier opportunities in the semiconductor industry, Vietnam cannot afford any further delay. “We did not invest in semiconductors despite recognizing the potential during visits to Taiwan long ago. FPT will not repeat those mistakes. Vietnam now has a great opportunity to deeply join the global semiconductor industry,” he said, highlighting the country’s young, intelligent, and quick-learning workforce, ready to master high-end technology.

Binh added that while advanced process technologies of 1–2 nanometers will continue to evolve in the U.S. and Japan, Vietnam can pursue widely used and efficient chips such as AI Edge chips, which offer high performance and energy efficiency. He emphasized that Vietnam’s future prosperity depends on seizing these opportunities.

Earlier, on January 16, Viettel began construction of the first semiconductor fabrication plant in Vietnam—a project assigned by the Ministry of National Defense under a Government resolution. This plant is expected to lay the foundation for domestic mastery of core chip technologies and the development of a local semiconductor ecosystem.

The Viettel facility is also expected to serve as a practical training base for semiconductor talent, linking education with real industry operations. Under the national semiconductor workforce development program, Vietnam aims to train 50,000 chip design engineers by 2030 and grow the semiconductor workforce to over 100,000 by 2040.

Viettel has been preparing for this project through intensive training, international cooperation, technology transfer, and experience in research, design, and application of chips in technological systems and products.