Vietnam attracted US$8.06 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first four months of 2018, equivalent to 76.1% of the figure in the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Office.
As of April 20, 2018, the country had 883 newly-licensed FDI projects, with total registered capital of US$3.55 billion and 303 projects registering to increase their capital by US$2.24 billion.
In the first four months of this year, foreign investors contributed capital and bought shares worth US$2.26 billion, a year-on-year surge of 67%.
FDI projects in Vietnam disbursed US$5.1 billion during the first four months, a year-on-year increase of 6.3%, said the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency (FIA).
The FIA said foreign investors have invested in 17 industries and fields during January and April. Of this, the manufacturing and processing sector attracted the largest amount of FDI, with total registered capital of US$4.52 billion, accounting for 56.1% of the total investment.
The real estate sector ranked the second in terms of FDI attraction, with total investment capital of US$807.5 million, accounting for 10% of the total. In the third place were the wholesale and retail sector, with total registered capital of US$779 million, accounting for 9.7% of the total.
Up to 82 countries and territories invested in Vietnam in the first four months. The Republic of Korea topped the list, with an investment of US$2.32 billion, accounting for 28.7% of the total investment. Japan ranked second, with registered capital of approximately US$1.29 billion, accounting for 16% of the total investment. Singapore stood at the third place, with a registered investment of US$808 million, accounting for 10% of the total.
HCM City attracted the largest volume of FDI, with a total registered capital of US$1.92 billion, accounting for 23.8% of the total investment. The northern port city of Hai Phong ranked second, with registered capital of US$1.03 billion, accounting for 12.8% of the total. The capital city of Hanoi ranked third, with registered capital of US$746 million, accounting for 9.25% of the total.
Analysts noted that Vietnam-Singapore ties are increasingly moving beyond traditional goods trade towards green growth, innovation and high-quality supply chains, laying a stronger foundation for more substantive and sustainable cooperation in the years ahead.
International visitors expressed positive impressions of Vietnamese products displayed at the fair. Nelma Sanjines, senior supervisor at ESP Catering in Sydney, praised the flavour of Vietnamese chilli sauce and soy sauce as well as the attractive packaging of confectionery products.
Experts noted that supply chain optimisation and risk management are no longer isolated tasks for individual companies but a requirement for the entire export ecosystem. With guidance from regulators, support from industry experts and their own efforts, Vietnamese exporters are expected to enhance their competitiveness and turn technical barriers and market volatility into opportunities for sustainable growth in global markets.
In April, Vietnam’s crude steel output was estimated at 2.1 million tonnes, up 4% year-on-year. With this result, Vietnam surpassed Italy to secure a place among the top 10 global producers.
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He stressed that domestic firms must proactively improve corporate governance, technological capabilities and workforce quality in order to participate more deeply in global supply chains. “Vietnamese enterprises cannot enter the supply chains of multinational corporations unless they meet required standards,” Cuong said.
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To ensure safer use of E10 fuel, consumers are advised to regularly maintain fuel systems, replace deteriorated rubber components and refuel at reputable petrol stations to ensure ethanol blending quality meets standards.
The article described Vietnam as strategically positioned along major regional maritime routes, including the East – West corridor linking the Americas, the Middle East, India and Europe, and the North – South corridor connecting China and Southeast Asia, helping make the country a gateway for international trade.
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