Top US chip makers expected to meet in Vietnam as Biden’s visit stokes flames of US-China tech war

The meeting, which is still being arranged, would confirm US plans to boost Vietnam’s global role in different segments of chip-making, as part of Washington’s broader strategy to reduce the sector’s exposure to China-linked risks, including trade restrictions and tensions over Taiwan.

The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside business hours.

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The second person familiar with the plans confirmed the presence of several large US chips companies, including Amkor, their Vietnamese partners, such as tech company FPT, and Vietnamese and US top officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Semiconductors are expected to be a focal point during Biden’s visit to Hanoi on Sunday and Monday, US administration officials said, as the White House seeks to formally elevate relations with the former foe.

The round table has not been announced, and it is unclear whether announcements will be made by any of the companies attending the meeting, which one of the sources said would involve about 30 top executives and officials.

Some of those on the list have already invested or announced investments in Vietnam.

Intel has a US$1.5 billion factory in southern Vietnam for assembling, packaging and testing chips, the biggest in its global network, and has had plans to expand it.

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Amkor is building near Hanoi “a state-of-the-art mega factory for semiconductor assembly and testing”, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on a visit to Hanoi in July. The company has dozens of open positions on its Vietnam web page.

Chip designing firm Marvell has said it plans to build a “world-class” centre in Vietnam.

US officials have repeatedly said that assembling and designing were the segments of the chip-making industry where Vietnam was likely to grow faster, although a shortage of engineers could slow the industry take-off.

Vietnam has also ambitions to build its own chip-making factories, or fabs. GlobalFoundries is specialised in making integrated circuits on wafers for smartphones, cars and other applications.

Vietnam is a major exporter of smartphones and electronics.

An executive at a major US chips firm said the Vietnamese government had been holding meetings with most major chips companies in the country, including Intel, Samsung and Qualcomm, to ask for advice on setting up the country’s first fab.

US officials have also said an upgrade of formal ties with Vietnam could help collaboration on artificial intelligence (AI), a sector in which Google is a major global player.

Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest conglomerate and the parent of Nasdaq-listed electric car maker VinFast, has a unit focused on AI.

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