Foreign investment disbursement hits record high in the first four months

The Việt Nam-Singapore Industrial Park in Bình Dương Province. Singapore remained the largest foreign investor in Việt Nam in the first four months of this year.—investvietnam.gov.vn

Foreign investment disbursement in the first four months of this year reached an estimated US$6.28 billion, marking a record high over the past five years, as shown in a report from the Ministry of Planning and Investment's Foreign Investment Department (FIA).

The report indicates that foreign investment inflows into Việt Nam during the reviewed period also saw a modest increase of 4.5 per cent to nearly $9.27 billion.

A total of 966 new foreign-invested projects were licensed during this period, with a combined registered capital of over $7.11 billion, representing increases of 29 per cent and 73 per cent, respectively. Additionally, 345 operating projects were permitted to raise their capital by over $1.23 billion, down 26 per cent year-on-year.

Meanwhile, foreign investors allocated over $929.6 million to contributing capital to and purchasing shares of domestic companies via 902 transactions, a decline of 70 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The manufacturing and processing sector attracted the largest share of foreign investment with $5 billion, accounting for 70.2 per cent of the total. Real estate followed with nearly $1.6 billion, equivalent to 22.5 per cent of the total, while other sectors accounted for $519.6 million, or 7.3 per cent.

Among the 50 countries and territories investing in Việt Nam, Singapore led with over $2.59 billion, representing 36.4 per cent of the total foreign investment pledged in the country. It was followed by Hong Kong with nearly $898.6 million (12.6 per cent), mainland China ($740.2 million or 10.4 per cent), Turkey ($730 million or 10.3 per cent), and Taiwan ($512.3 million or 7.2 per cent).

According to a report from the General Statistics Office, Việt Nam's overseas investment reached $98.9 million in the four months, down 36 per cent year-on-year. Of this amount, $98.3 million was registered for 36 new projects, falling by 30 per cent year-on-year, while the remaining capital was added to three existing projects, marking a yearly decline of 96 per cent.

Investments in the mining sector totalled $58.6 million, accounting for 59.3 per cent of the total. Wholesale and retail, along with repair of cars, motorcycles, and motor vehicles, ranked second with $11.5 million or 11.7 per cent, followed by other services ($10 million or 10.1 per cent), construction ($5.5 million or 5.6 per cent), and real estate ($5.4 million or 5.4 per cent).

The Netherlands was the leading source of Vietnamese overseas investment with $54.6 million, accounting for 55.2 per cent of the total investment. Laos, the US, New Zealand, and Germany followed with $16.3 million, $6.7 million, $5.9 million, and $5.4 million, respectively.