Vietnamese Consul General in San Francisco Hoang Anh Tuan and his delegation took a souvenir photo with Mayor Kate Gallego at Phoenix City Hall.

The trip not only strengthens the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Arizona but also opens up specific opportunities in the fields of semiconductors, higher education, science, technology and innovation, contributing to promoting the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the United States.

Phoenix - High-tech park in the desert and new strategic partners

At Phoenix City Hall, Consul General Hoang Anh Tuan had a meeting with Mayor Kate Gallego to discuss the development vision of Phoenix – the capital of Arizona and one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. With a population of approximately 1.65 million and more than 90,000 businesses, Phoenix has a diverse economy, prominent in the fields of semiconductors, aerospace-defense, renewable energy, high technology and healthcare.

“Phoenix is ​​positioning itself as a global technology hub, leveraging close collaboration between government, business and universities to attract investment and foster innovation. We welcome opportunities to partner with Vietnam in areas such as semiconductors and technology education,” Mayor Kate Gallego said.

Phoenix is ​​currently home to the headquarters or manufacturing facilities of many leading technology corporations such as Intel, TSMC, Microsoft, Boeing, Apple, Amkor and Amazon. Notably, TSMC has announced plans to invest an additional $100 billion from 2025, bringing its total investment in Arizona to more than $165 billion, making the state one of the largest semiconductor manufacturing centers in the world.

TSMC plans to set up three factories in Arizona , expected to begin mass production in the first half of 2025, 2028, and between 2029 and 2030. (Source: Biz Journals)

“The integrated technology ecosystem in Phoenix, with the coordination between the government, Arizona State University (ASU), the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) and the Arizona Technology Association (AZTC), is a model that Vietnam wants to learn from. We are ready to cooperate more deeply in the semiconductor industry, human resource training and technology transfer,” Consul General Hoang Anh Tuan affirmed. The meeting also emphasized the potential for cooperation between Vietnamese and Arizona businesses, especially in the context of Vietnam promoting the development of the semiconductor industry and artificial intelligence (AI).

Connecting innovation ecosystems and technology education

A key highlight of the trip was a meeting with the Arizona Technology Consortium (AZTC), an organization that brings together more than 750 technology companies, from startups to large corporations such as Intel, Amazon, Honeywell, Raytheon, Google and IBM. AZTC plays an important role in shaping technology policy and connecting innovation networks, contributing to making Arizona a leading destination for technology investment in the United States.

In a meeting with AZTC Chairman Steven G. Zylstra, Consul General Hoang Anh Tuan emphasized: “Vietnam wishes to promote cooperation between AZTC technology enterprises and the Vietnamese business community, especially companies like FPT Software – a member of AZTC. This is an opportunity for both sides to share experiences and develop together in areas such as semiconductors, AI and digital transformation.”

Consul General Hoang Anh Tuan and his delegation took a photo with Mr. Steven G. Zylstra, President and CEO of the Arizona Technology Association.

The two sides agreed to establish regular connection channels, facilitating Vietnamese enterprises to participate in Arizona's technology ecosystem and vice versa. The delegation also worked with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC), an investment promotion organization that has brought many large projects such as TSMC, Amkor Technology, Intel and LG Energy Solution to Arizona.

“The collaboration between GPEC, universities like ASU, and businesses has created a special attraction for Arizona. We are ready to support Vietnam in building strategies to attract high-tech investment,” said Sean Fogarty, Vice President of GPEC.

At Arizona State University (ASU), the delegation had a working session with Executive Vice President Dr. Sally Morton, Associate Dean Jeffrey Goss and Director of the Semiconductor Training and Technology Innovation (ITSI) Fund Jose Quiroga. The parties focused on discussing training in IC packaging and testing, semiconductor human resource development, as well as expanding cooperation through the ITSI Fund funded by the US government.

According to the proposal of Consul General Hoang Anh Tuan, ASU can support Vietnam through full or partial scholarship programs, creating opportunities for Vietnamese lecturers and students to intern at ASU's research centers, especially in the fields of semiconductors, AI and biomedical technology.

ASU is committed to reviewing proposals and continuing to cooperate in joint training programs and technology transfer, in line with the US science restructuring policy. The delegation also visited ASU's prominent research facilities such as the BioDesign Institute, the Global Laboratory at the Walton Center and the Semiconductor Training Center, demonstrating a deep interest in the integrated education-research-enterprise model.

Expanding educational cooperation and connecting the Vietnamese community

In addition to the technology sector, the delegation visited Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff, a public research university with more than 28,000 students. Although only about 4% of its students are international, NAU demonstrates the potential for cooperation with Vietnam in the fields of biotechnology, environment, and health care.

Consul General Hoang Anh Tuan and Dr. Sally C. Morton, Executive Vice President of Research and Knowledge Enterprise at Arizona State University.

During a working session with Ms. Yimin Wang, Vice President and Director of the NAU International Education Center, Consul General Hoang Anh Tuan expressed: “We wish to establish a cooperation mechanism between NAU and Vietnamese universities, focusing on student exchanges, training cooperation and scholarship granting, contributing to meeting the human resource needs in Vietnam's strategic industries”.

NAU leaders are committed to strengthening cooperation with Vietnam, in line with the university’s strategy of internationalizing education. Another meaningful activity is a meeting with the Vietnamese intellectual community in Arizona, including lecturers and technology engineers working at ASU, TSMC, Intel and other organizations.

Consul General Hoang Anh Tuan shared that the Vietnamese intellectual community in Arizona is a valuable resource, playing a bridging role in promoting cooperation in technology and education. The event of NVIDIA establishing the AI ​​Research Center and AI Data Center in Vietnam is an important milestone, opening up opportunities for overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to contribute to the development of the country. Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan also recommended organizing regular intellectual forums to strengthen connections and spread the contributions of the Vietnamese community in Arizona.

Northern Arizona University, founded in 1889, is one of three public universities in the state of Arizona . (Source: NAU)

The working trip of the Vietnamese Consulate General in San Francisco marked a new step forward in the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and the state of Arizona, affirming the role of economic and technological diplomacy in the international integration strategy. Through working sessions with the government, universities and technology organizations, Vietnam has established strategic partnerships, opening up substantive cooperation channels in semiconductors, AI, education and innovation.

As a high-tech hub in the United States, Arizona offers Vietnam the opportunity to access advanced technology resources and high-quality training models. The visit laid the foundation for sustainable cooperation, promising to bring long-term benefits to both sides within the framework of the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.