By
Hai Yen
Thu, November 20, 2025 | 5:23 pm GMT+7
Vietnamese know-how agency must pursue a product-driven technique and maintain long-term international ambitions, stated Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung.
Hung made the remarks throughout a three-hour dialogue, themed “strategic thinking, disciplined culture and global ambition: guidance for CMC’s breakthrough journey,” with executives of CMC, a number one tech firm in Vietnam, on Wednesday.
The Minister, who was once chairman cum CEO of military-run tech large Viettel, stated Vietnamese tech firms can solely construct sustainable competitiveness by bringing market-ready merchandise to scale, somewhat than stopping at analysis.
“Many domestic firms invest heavily in R&D but stop halfway because they fail to commercialize their technologies. Besides, they need to control the full value chain from design and integration to manufacturing, sales, and after-market services,” he added.
Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung (left) meets with CMC’s executives in Hanoi on November 19, 2025. Photo courtesy of CMC.
Commenting on CMC’s AI ecosystem, C-OpenAI, Hung suggested the group to avoid making an attempt an all-purpose platform and as a substitute concentrate on focused segments. “Talk less about technology, talk more about products. In the end, customers only pay for products”, he harassed.
On strategic selections between AI and semiconductors, Hung argued that the actual determinant shouldn’t be what to decide on however whether or not the corporate is prepared to “go all the way”.
AI is a natural path, he said, provided that CMC has clear data strategies and defined products and markets. On the other hand, semiconductor development, although broad, does not require billion-dollar fabs in the early stages, so companies can target niches such as chip design, IP blocks, testing or IoT semiconductors if they have the persistence and resources for a sustained effort.
“A correct decision matters less than a decision that is carried through to the end. Once chosen, you must go all the way,” he stated.
Hung also cautioned that outsourcing cannot be a long-term foundation for Vietnamese technology firms seeking global relevance. While software outsourcing generates revenue, he said it should serve only as “seed capital” to build financial strength and experience before companies invest in core technologies and proprietary products.
“Firms that remain in outsourcing will struggle to build a global Vietnamese tech brand,” he said. “To go far, you must own the intellectual property, platforms, and products that carry your identity,” he stressed.
Vietnam is now house to greater than 50 chip design firms using an estimated 7,000 engineers. Around 15 firms with some 6,600 engineers and over 10,000 technicians are engaged in chip packaging, testing, and manufacturing of semiconductor gear and supplies, based on the Ministry of Industry and Trade.