Party chief in London: Strategic step to connect Vietnam with tech powerhouses

THE HANOI TIMES — A dialogue on artificial intelligence and semiconductor technology during Party General Secretary To Lam’s visit to the UK marks a strategic step in advancing Vietnam’s cooperation with global technology powers in the AI era.

Held in London on October 28 as part of his three-day official visit  at the invitation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer , the event organized by the Boston Global Forum demonstrated Vietnam’s growing role in global digital transformation.

With the ambition to be a pioneer in the digital economy, Vietnam seeks to learn from the UK, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and home to many great minds in science and innovation, to build a creative, humane and sustainable technology ecosystem.

In his opening remarks, the general secretary expressed delight at meeting leading AI experts and strategists in London, a global center of innovation, noting that the world is witnessing unprecedented scientific and technological progress, with AI emerging as a driving force for economic growth and innovation.

He reaffirmed that Vietnam regards science, technology and digital transformation as a strategic breakthrough for rapid and sustainable development.

The country is ready to embrace and experiment with pioneering ideas in this field to share visions and values toward a better world where AI serves humanity and promotes creativity, compassion, peace and prosperity.

Technology experts commended Vietnam’s dynamic growth, particularly its achievements in poverty reduction, industrial development and digital transformation. They viewed Vietnam as a key and trusted partner in the global network of digital nations.

Meanwhile, some experts stressed the importance of building secure digital infrastructure and developing responsible AI standards that uphold privacy, fairness and transparency.

At the event, Lam praised the valuable insights and recommendations presented, noting that they align with Vietnam’s development goals in AI and advanced technology.

He asked relevant agencies to conduct concrete steps to translate ideas into practical projects and programs in Vietnam as the dialogue marked a meaningful beginning for long-term and in-depth cooperation between Vietnam and leading experts from the UK and other countries.

Vietnam hopes to strengthen collaboration in three priority areas, namely sharing knowledge on national AI strategy and innovation ecosystems, fostering investment and technology transfer in key sectors such as healthcare, smart agriculture and digital education.

It expected to jointly develop pioneering science and technology programs to build a creative and resilient economy.

The Party chief invited global experts and scientists in AI and technology to visit Vietnam for direct exchanges with policymakers and research institutions, helping turn discussed ideas into results.

The dialogue reinforced the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the UK and opened prospects for cooperation in AI and semiconductor technology, marking an important milestone in Vietnam’s journey toward becoming a pioneer in the global digital and innovation economy.

Vietnam is implementing national strategies for AI and semiconductor development through 2030, focusing on human-resource training, investment incentives and international cooperation.

The government offers up to 50% support for initial investments in these sectors, aims to train 50,000 engineers by 2030, and is streamlining regulations to attract global tech firms.

The country focuses on technology transfer and innovation ecosystems to integrate into global AI and semiconductor value chains while upgrading digital and infrastructure systems to sustain long-term growth.