Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception for Qualcomm's CEO and President Cristiano Amon in Hanoi on August 12, according to a report from the Government News.

The Prime Minister welcomed Qualcomm's two decades of collaboration with Vietnam in areas ranging from mobile connectivity and technology transfer to AI research, STEM education, startup incubation, and innovation ecosystem development.

He highlighted the opening of Qualcomm's AI R&D center in Hanoi—its third-largest globally after the U.S. and India—and the recent agreement with VNPT to establish the VNPT–Qualcomm Center of Excellence.

PM Chinh briefed about Vietnam's major economic ambitions, including GDP growth of 8.3–8.5 per cent in 2025 and double-digit growth in subsequent years, driven by knowledge, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

The Vietnamese leader called on Qualcomm to expand partnerships with Vietnamese enterprises, research institutes, and universities, and to help integrate local firms into its global supply and production chains.

He also encouraged the company to share expertise in governance, institutional reform, and workforce training, noting new incentives for foreign experts and scientists in hi-tech industries, including visa exemptions.

The Qualcomm leader reaffirmed his group’s  commitment to investing in Vietnam's talent and expanding cooperation in AI, semiconductors, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, electronics, and smartphones, with the aim of making the country a regional R&D powerhouse.

Mr. Amon praised Vietnam's progress and cooperation potential as well as its favorable policies on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. He also commended the rapid development of Vietnamese partners such as Viettel, VNPT, and FPT.

Qualcomm expects Vietnam to emerge as a leading regional research and development (R&D) center, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), according to Mr. Amon.

Over the past 20 years, Qualcomm has supported Vietnam's innovation ecosystem through initiatives such as the Qualcomm Vietnam Innovation Challenge, which has incubated 29 startups, raised over $32 million in funding, commercialized 25 products, registered 87 patents, and advanced 5G and WiFi technologies in partnership with Viettel and VNPT.