Da Nang to promote semiconductor cooperation with US: Official

Da Nang (VNA) – Standing Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of the central city of Da Nang Ho Ky Minh on March 26 hosted a reception for US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Susan Burns, during which he expressed his hope for stronger cooperation with the US in the semiconductor industry.

Minh said that in March, Da Nang's leaders made a working trip to the US, during which they worked with many organisations and businesses to propose cooperation in human resources training programmes for Da Nang and introduced the city’s business environment as well as policies to attract investment in the semiconductor industry.

On March 26, Da Nang launched a training course on semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) with the support from the US’s Synopsys company, he noted, adding that this is a step forward in developing the contents of the memorandum of understanding between the city and Synopsys on cooperation in the field of semiconductors.

Minh said the city hoped that the US Consulate General in HCM City will assist Da Nang in accessing the International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund under the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act of the US, thus helping the city in human resources training and developing the assembly, test, and packaging (ATP) stage.

In the near future, Da Nang will soon establish a working group to promote cooperation between Da Nang and the US, aiming to work with the US Consulate General in HCM City to discuss cooperation in various fields between the two sides, he said.

For her part, Burns said that thanks to recent visits by Da Nang's leaders, US firms have increasingly been interested in the city, which they described as a promising investment destination.

The US diplomat expressed her hope that along with cooperation in traditional areas, the US and Da Nang will expand collaboration in other fields such as semiconductor chips, renewable energy, finance, and seaports.

Da Nang now has cooperative relations with three US cities, namely Oakland in California, Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, and Houston in Texas.

As of the end of October 2023, Da Nang had hosted 82 valid US-funded projects worth 831 million USD, accounting for 8% of the project number and more than 19% of the investment capital of the city, mostly in the fields of tourism, real estate, high technology, and supporting industries. The results made the US the third largest investor among 45 countries and territories investing in the central economic hub.

Meanwhile, more than 20 firms of Da Nang have engaged in import-export activities with the US. In the first half of 2023, Da Nang’s exports to the US reached 205 million USD.

The US is running four ODA projects in Da Nang with total capital of 46.57 million USD, while US non-governmental organisations are funding nine projects in the city.

Regarding educational cooperation, as of 2019, Da Nang University had signed cooperation agreements with 30 reputable partners in the US, while coordinating with leading US technology enterprises such as Intel, Boeing, Microsoft and IBM./.