Chip factories expected to help Vietnam master semiconductor technology – VNN [8 February 2026] - Lemmy
At the regular press conference of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST)
on January 29, Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong emphasized two bright spots of
the information technology industry in early 2026. First is Viettel Group
inaugurating a high-tech semiconductor chip manufacturing plant on January 16.
Pointing out that Vietnam has many enterprises operating in the field of
semiconductor chip design and has many foreign chip packaging and testing
plants—but “not yet a semiconductor chip manufacturing plant”, the Deputy
Minister noted that “this is a very large event in the field of the information
technology industry.” In the global semiconductor value chain, the chip
fabrication stage is an important step of the industry due to technological
complexity and a large level of investment. Recently, Vietnam has participated
in five out of six stages including product definition, system design, detailed
design, packaging - testing, and integration - validation. However, the
fabrication stage is the most key step to turn drawings on paper into real chips
that remain missing. Accordingly, the commencement of the plant at Hoa Lac on an
area of 27 hectares is a step to complete and close this entire production
process within the country. A semiconductor chip fabrication plant is not only
significant economically but also carries the weight of developing national
cyberspace. Lieutenant General Le Minh Thai, Director of the Military Technical
Academy, said: “Chip technology is not something others will transfer to us. We
have to conduct our own research and production. Therefore, breaking ground on
the first semiconductor chip fabrication plant is a very important step and a
foundation for us to be capable of mastering the production of specialized chips
in a proactive, modern, and dual-use manner.” In addition, self-reliance in chip
supply will help Vietnam remain resilient amid unpredictable fluctuations in the
global supply chain. Nguyen Dong Giang, PhD, a semiconductor technology R&D
expert at HSIC Lab, UIUC, recalled a costly lesson: “When the global chip supply
market declined, many technology companies took nearly two years to procure
products. The launch of the plant will help Vietnam become more self-reliant in
supply.” Viettel’s project is expected to become a “magnet” attracting
Vietnamese intellectual talent from around the world to return home. Alongside
Viettel, another major player, FPT Group, is also accelerating the investment in
infrastructure. The company has just announced the establishment of a
semiconductor chip packaging and testing plant and committed that it will begin
production within the next three months. “The scale may still be small and
output limited, but this is a very important first step. When Vietnam has all
the elements in place: design by Vietnamese companies, manufacturing by
Vietnamese plants, and packaging and testing by Vietnamese plants, we can
gradually lay the groundwork to master semiconductor technology,” Phuong said.
Raising the age limit for used semiconductor equipment imports To support
infrastructure for enterprises as well as universities and research institutes,
MST has just issued Circular 30/2025 on criteria for importing used machinery
and production lines. A new point of the circular is allowing the import of
machinery serving semiconductor production with a maximum age of 20 years,
double the 10-year limit under the previous regulation. According to Nguyen Anh
Tuan, Head of the Quality Management Division at the Authority of Information
Technology Industry, this time limit was set after consultations with technology
corporations and assessments of the actual needs from institutes and
universities. For training and research institutions, Circular 30 is even more
flexible by exempting them from applying criteria on equipment age and
performance and energy consumption. This aims to encourage the investment in
infrastructure at a time when Vietnam’s semiconductor industry is still in its
early stages. In terms of technical conditions, equipment and production lines
must meet three general criteria: not falling under lists of outdated,
low-quality, or polluting technologies in the exporting countries; not listed in
Vietnam’s lists of technologies banned or restricted from transfer; and
complying with Vietnamese standards and regulations on safety, energy
efficiency, and occupational safety. In cases where Vietnam does not yet have
relevant standards, G7 standards may be applied. Under the new circular, the
import process will fully shift to a post-inspection mechanism. Enterprises will
self-declare, provide documentation, and submit written commitments proving
compliance with criteria for customs to consider import clearance, instead of
having to undergo pre-inspection administrative procedures as before.
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