A talk show entitled ‘Da Nang and policies to welcome a new wave of investment in semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) industry’ took place in the city on Friday.

Leaders of Da Nang, units, businesses, and training facilities posing for a group photo at the talk show. Photo: THU HA-HOANG HIEP

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Huy Dung, Vice Chairman of Da Nang People's Committee Ho Ky Minh, leaders of city-based departments and agencies, and representatives of domestic and foreign businesses involving the semiconductor and AI industry.

In his remarks at the event, Vice Chairman Ho Ky Minh emphasised that Da Nang has started to develop the microchip and semiconductor industry since October 2023. He also informed that the city officially announced the establishment of the Danang Semiconductor and Artificial Intelligence Center for Research and Training (DSAC) this morning.

He said that Da Nang is implementing Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2019 adopted by the Politburo on building and developing Da Nang by 2030, with a vision towards 2045, and Resolution No. 119/2020/QH14 dated June 19, 2020 on piloting the urban government model and a number of specific political mechanisms to develop Da Nang.

Mr. Minh added that the city has also asked the National Assembly for permission to create a specific resolution on promoting the development of Da Nang in the near future, in which there will be a policy on the development of the microchip and semiconductor industry.

Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Ho Ky Minh speaking at the event. Photo: HOANG HIEP-THU HA

He, therefore, highlighted that the city will absorb constructive ideas by businesses, units, and educational and training establishments, as well as ask for opinions from ministries, central branches, and universities to build a special resolution and submit it to the National Assembly for consideration, and to the municipal People's Council for consideration to promulgate specific mechanisms and policies for the city.

Vice Chairman Minh also hoped that the city will continue receiving the companionship of ministries, branches and agencies at all levels, especially in training cooperation and investment promotion activities, in order to make Da Nang become one of the pioneering localities in semiconductor technology.

During the talk show, participating delegates discussed and proposed orientation, design and roadmap for short-term, medium-term and long-term phases.

Accordingly, the city will focus on design and testing activities in the short term period; production stages in the medium term period; and a number of core technologies, computer Quantum mathematics, new computing technologies and System-on-Module (SoM), System in Package (SiP) and System on Chip (SoC) products in the long term period.

The city determines that during the development of the microchip and semiconductor industry, human resources is the decisive factor, and additional training and retraining are tasks that need attention in addition to training new human resources.

Also, the city will prioritise creating an ecosystem combined between the State, schools and businesses, including policies on infrastructure investment for the semiconductor and AI industries; policies on training and fostering human resources for semiconductor and AI industries; policies on incentives and investment attraction in the semiconductor and AI industries; and policies on perfecting the organisational structure and consulting personnel for the semiconductor and AI industries, especially the establishment and operation of the DSAC.

Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications Nguyen Quang Thanh said that the city has asked for permission from the Central Government to allow the municipal People's Council to use public assets as information infrastructure to attract investors involving semiconductor and AI industries.

The city has developed support policies to attract experts and overseas Vietnamese to work and transfer knowledge to form human resources. These include tax and income exemption policies; preferential accommodation policies; and support programmes for lecturers, engineers, students, universities and training establishments in accessing investment technology and operating infrastructure for the development of semiconductor chips and microchips; policy groups on incentives and investment attraction; and policies on improving the organisational structure and consulting personnel for the semiconductor and AI field.

Mr. Trinh Thanh Lam, Director of Synopsys Group's business department in Viet Nam, Pakistan and Bangladesh, speaking at the event. Photo: HOANG HIEP - THU HA

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Information and Communications Technology Industry Department under the Ministry of Information and Communications suggested that Da Nang focus on training and fostering human resources in semiconductor industry; create a favorable investment environment to attract senior foreign experts to work in Da Nang; and simplify procedures for granting temporary residence cards to experts and senior personnel of semiconductor enterprises.

He also stressed the need for the city to perfect DSAC's operating model, in which the city should allocate budget resources for infrastructure investment and equipment for the center, and arrange regular operating expenses.

He underlined a must-do for the city to develop DSAC into a provider of research, evaluation, testing, simulation, sample production and small-scale production services, and other support services for startups, design companies, manufacturing companies, and semiconductor research and training facilities in the country.

Sharing about the development of semiconductor and AI, Mr. Trinh Thanh Lam, Director of Synopsys Group's Business Department in Viet Nam, Pakistan and Bangladesh, assessed that Da Nang has started to develop the microchip and semiconductor industry since October 2023, but did some very specific things, including the establishment of DSAC.

Besides the training function, DSAC will have additional functions of attracting investment and connecting international activities. In addition, Da Nang also has Software Park No. 2, which promises to attract many businesses.

He remarked that with the great determination of the city's leaders, Da Nang has chosen a strategic partner in developing the microchip and semiconductor industry and has done some real work to build and develop this industry" Mr. Trinh Thanh Lam emphasised.

​Reporting by THU HA, HOANG HIEP - Translating by M.DUNG