Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) hosts a reception for Apple chief executive Tim Cook, Ha Noi, April 16, 2024 - Photo: VGP

Participants in the meeting included Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung and Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat.

Pham welcomed Tim Cook's first visit to Viet Nam, expressing thanks to the crucial contribution of Apple and its partners to the development of the country via creating more jobs and supporting Viet Nam to participate into the global supply chain of Apple.

Viet Nam is willing to work with Apple to establish a working group to support the corporation in investing and expanding operation in the country in a more sustainable manner, asserted the PM.

He proposed the corporation identify Viet Nam as a production base and encourage its suppliers to expand business investment in the country, and help qualified Vietnamese businesses to participate deeper into Apple's value chain.

The PM highlighted the need to increase consultancy for Viet Nam to improve its legal system and policy mechanisms to develop science, technology and innovation; and promote cooperation with innovation centers and software parks in Viet Nam, especially with the Viet Nam National Innovation Center.

The corporation should support the nation in human resource training, especially launching the program to train 100,000 high-quality engineers, including 50,000 high-quality engineers in the semiconductor industry, he recommended.

He acknowledged proposal of Apple to increase clean energy access for Apple manufacturers in Viet Nam.

Tim Cook, for his part, hailed Viet Nam's development goals, particularly in terms of inclusive and sustainable development, environmental protection, and human development.

Apple values the participation of Vietnamese application developers in its products around the world, he said, announcing that Apple's activities have created more than 200,000 jobs in Viet Nam.

The company has spent nearly US$16 billion since 2019 through its local supply chain, he noted, adding that Apple stands ready to work with Viet Nam's working group to enhance cooperation and investment activities in the time ahead.

Apple commits to buying more components manufactured by partners in Viet Nam while supporting the country in innovation; increasing payments to suppliers in Viet Nam; and providing vocational training programs for people with disabilities, he stated./.