HANOI, April 23 (Reuters) - Vietnam's top tech firm FPT

plans to build a $200 million artificial intelligence

(AI) factory using Nvidia's ( NVDA ) graphics chips and

software, the two firms said on Tuesday.

FPT plans to use Nvidia's ( NVDA ) support to boost AI research in

Vietnam with the aim of developing AI applications and solutions

at the planned data centre factory, including for generative AI

and autonomous driving, the firms said in a joint statement.

"According to the plan, FPT will establish factories in

Vietnam and other potential markets including Japan and South

Korea," FPT Chairman Truong Gia Binh told reporters.

"FPT is working to achieve its vision to turn Vietnam into

an AI hub through collaboration with Nvidia ( NVDA ) in technology,

business development and training," he added.

The two firms also signed a "comprehensive strategic

partnership".

Nvidia's ( NVDA ) chief executive Jensen Huang had said last December

that the company wanted to expand its partnerships with

Vietnam's top tech firms and support the country in training

talent for developing AI and digital infrastructure.

"We are working with many different operating units within

FPT ... we have agreements and strategies for each one of

those," Keith Strier, Vice President of Worldwide AI Initiatives

at Nvidia ( NVDA ), said at an event in Hanoi marking the deal.

The U.S. chipmaker has invested over $250 million in

Vietnam. It was not immediately clear whether the new

partnership would increase its investment in the country.

FPT is the most valuable technology company on Vietnam's Ho

Chi Minh City bourse, with a market capitalization of $5.5

billion. It offers a variety of AI, cloud and big data services,

and last year its total revenues exceeded $2 billion.

($1 = 25,450 dong)