Ho Chi Minh City is taking steps to establish a multipurpose hi-tech center aimed at transforming the city into Southeast Asia’s leading innovation hub and bolstering its economic competitiveness, local officials said Friday during a scientific workshop hosted by the municipal People’s Committee.

At the event, Nguyen Van Duoc, chairman of the municipal administration, underscored the urgent need to overhaul the city’s growth model. 

He said science, technology, and innovation would be the spearheads for reshaping the economy and achieving ambitious development goals, including double-digit economic growth.

The proposed hi-tech center is envisioned as a strategic nucleus for high-priority sectors such as artificial intelligence, geographic information systems, and semiconductor manufacturing. 

It will also serve as a cornerstone of the city’s broader ‘1 - 4 - 1’ strategy, which includes one international financial hub, four hi-tech pillars, and one strategic infrastructure goal.

The four hi-tech pillars include the multipurpose hi-tech center, a hi-tech industrial zone, high-quality education, and advanced healthcare services.

Duoc emphasized that while the city would set strategic objectives and policy directions, it would rely on experts, universities, investors, and private enterprises to drive innovation, research, and implementation.

Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology Lam Dinh Thang (standing) speaks at the workshop. Photo: Nguyen Anh / Tuoi Tre

Lam Dinh Thang, director of the municipal Department of Science and Technology, said the center would be developed as an open, integrated ecosystem. 

The proposed model could include research and development facilities, startup incubators, a training center, commercial spaces, and residential and working areas designed for global talent.

The goal is to create a seamless link between academic research and commercial application while attracting international investors with a dynamic, innovation-driven environment.

Nguyen Ky Phung, head of the Saigon Hi-Tech Park management board, suggested that Ho Chi Minh City should draw lessons from established global innovation hubs such as Silicon Valley in the United States, Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan, and One-North in Singapore.

Phung pointed out that Silicon Valley's success stems from strong university-industry ties, while Hsinchu has become a semiconductor powerhouse due to favorable policy support and world-class infrastructure.

One-North exemplifies how a tech park can successfully integrate research, commerce, and residential life into a single urban model.

He recommended that Ho Chi Minh City adopt a similarly multi-functional and internationally competitive model.

Vu Chi Kien, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, proposed two development paths, with one involving upgrading the existing Saigon Hi-Tech Park.

Meanwhile, the other would involve constructing a brand-new center in Thu Duc City, designed from the outset as a mixed-use, globally connected innovation zone.

Both scenarios would require infrastructure that meets international standards, forward-looking urban planning, and modern governance models.

However, he also acknowledged the significant hurdles ahead. 

These include stiff regional competition, a shortage of tech-specific policies, and the need for substantial infrastructure investment.

To overcome these challenges, he called for more flexible management mechanisms, stronger global partnerships, and a focused push into critical industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, AI, cybersecurity, digital entertainment, and consumer electronics.

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