Want to be in the loop?
subscribe to
our notification
Business News
VIỆT NAM NAMED AMONG WORLD’S TOP 20 HOST ECONOMIES FOR FDI FOR THE FIRST TIME
Việt Nam was named among the world’s top 20 host economies for foreign direct investment (FDI) for the first time in 2020 with an inflow of US$16 billion.
The country was up five places against last year’s ranking to reach 19th on the list, according to UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s World Investment Report 2021.
While global FDI flows fell by 35 per cent to $1 trillion amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the lowest level since 2005 and almost 20 per cent lower than the 2009 trough after the global financial crisis, the FDI in Southeast Asia, considered an engine of global FDI growth for the past decade, contracted by 25 per cent to $136 billion, said the report.
It stated that Việt Nam remained among the three largest recipients in the region with a decline of only 2 per cent, while the remaining two of Singapore and Indonesia suffered drops of up to 21 per cent and 22 per cent, respectively.
According to UNCTAD, a slight decline in FDI to the country was due to significantly lower investment contractions in manufacturing and realty activities.
However, thanks to the rise in investment in electricity projects, including a $5 billion gas-fired power plant proposed by ExxonMobil (US) and a $2.2 billion coal-fired power plant developed by Thai MNEs in the Quảng TRị Economic Zone, the flow of FDI was still okay.
As investors, Singapore and Japan topped the list of countries and territories having investment projects, in which Singapore’s reached $5.64 billion, 37 per cent of the total and Japan invested $2.44 billion, a surge of 67 per cent in investment compared to 2019.
UNCTAD pointed out local measures to promote investment, including the permission for certain disputes between foreign investors and the State to be taken to international arbitration, were keys to attract FDI inflows.
The report also said the Vietnamese government has expanded the list of business lines eligible for investment incentives, along with the publishing of a detailed list of conditions applied for businesses to be considered high-tech enterprises eligible for tax incentives as good points.
“Việt Nam for the first time introduced a negative list on market access, affording foreign investors with national treatment (NT) except in the sectors included in that list. The country also raised the cap on foreign ownership in domestic airlines.”
According to the report released late June, the US continued to be the world’s largest FDI recipient, followed by China and Hong Kong (China).
UNCTAD expected global FDI flows to bottom out in 2021 and later recover some lost ground, with an increase of about 10-15 per cent.
The report said: “This would still leave FDI some 25 per cent below the 2019 level,” adding current forecasts show a further increase in 2022 when the upper bound of projections would bring FDI back to the 2019 level.
The report concluded: “Prospects are highly uncertain and will depend on, among other factors, the pace of economic recovery and the possibility of pandemic relapses, the potential impact on FDI of recovery spending packages, and policy pressures.”
In the first six months of 2021, the total FDI commitments to Việt Nam declined by 2.6 per cent year-on-year to $15.27 billion, the FDI disbursement rate, however, rose by 6.8 per cent to stay at $9.24 billion.
Currently, Việt Nam has totally 33,787 foreign investment projects with a combined registered capital of $397.89 billion, while the disbursed amount stood at US$241.1 billion, 60.6 per cent of the committed amount.
Source: VNS
Related News
![Card image cap](/uploads/Logo/Cathay%20%281%29.jpg)
ONE-TIME OFFER: COMPLEMENTARY CATHAY PACIFIC LOUNGE PASS
Begin your trip on the right note in Cathay Pacific’s first-ever ferry lounge, located at Shenzhen’s Shekou Cruise home port. Situated at the end of the pier, the ferry lounge offers a breathtaking 270-degree view of the sea. You can immerse yourself in sheer luxury and revel in the panoramic beauty. Catch a glimpse of Hong Kong in the distance.
![Card image cap](/uploads/news/Industrial%20Zone.jpg)
VIỆT NAM TARGETS FULL MOBILE BROADBAND COVERAGE ON HIGHWAYS, INDUSTRIAL ZONES BY 2025
By 2025, Việt Nam aims to achieve one hundred per cent mobile broadband coverage on all national highways, expressways and railways under a plan to enhance the quality of Việt Nam’s mobile telecommunications network by 2025, which has been approved by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC).
![Card image cap](/uploads/news/Investment6.jpg)
VIETNAM ONE OF FASTEST-GROWING E-COMMERCE MARKETS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
The report released on July 16 highlighted that the total GMV of Southeast Asia’s eight leading e-commerce platforms rose to $114.6 billion in 2023, up 15 per cent from 2022. The key drivers for the region's e-commerce GMV expansion in 2023 are Vietnam and Thailand, growing 52.9 per cent and 34.1 per cent on-year, respectively.
![Card image cap](/uploads/news/Security.jpg)
2025 PIVOTAL FOR STOCK MARKET UPGRADE EFFORT
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) is expected to soon publish the entire content of the draft circular amending and supplementing four circulars on transactions, registration, depository, and clearing, as well as operations of securities companies and information disclosure. This move, along with feedback and explanations, aims to meet the criteria for upgrading Vietnam’s stock market.
![Card image cap](/uploads/news/bn-01.jpg)
VIETNAM INTENSIFIES E-COMMERCE TAX SCRUTINY
The department plans to offer guidance for and hold direct dialogues with e-commerce taxpayers to ensure compliance. Efforts will also include updating the e-commerce database, conducting risk analysis, and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to manage data and issue alerts.
![Card image cap](/uploads/news/eco2.jpg)
FOOTWEAR EXPORTS SEEN REACHING US$27 BILLION THIS YEAR
This optimistic forecast reflects the industry’s efforts to expand and diversify its markets. Lefaso indicated that Vietnam’s footwear sector will concentrate on traditional markets like the U.S. and the European Union, alongside markets with free trade agreements to maximize opportunities.