An aerial view of DEEP C, an industrial zone where new factories are sprouting, in Haiphong, Vietnam, Nov. 28, 2024. - The New York Times
HANOI: Despite an unfavourable global economic climate and ongoing challenges facing foreign investment flows, Vietnam continues to present strong opportunities that could drive a significant boost in investment, according to analysts.
One key source of optimism stems from a series of strategic cooperation agreements signed between Vietnamese and Thai partners during the recent official visit of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to Vietnam.
Among the most prominent is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Hưng Yên Province and Thailand’s WHA Group to develop the Phu Cu Industrial Zone (IZ). Another MoU was signed between Phu Tho Province and Amata Vietnam Group for strategic investment cooperation, alongside a decision approving investment policy for Giang Quang Thinh IZ in Thanh Hoa Province, a project also backed by Amata.
These developments underscore the increasing activity of Thailand’s leading industrial real estate players in Vietnam. WHA and Amata, which have already committed billions of dollars to projects in Vietnam, are now expanding further - a move widely seen as strategic positioning to capture sustained foreign investment inflows despite global economic uncertainties.
Amata Vietnam CEO Somhatai Panichewa said her company would conduct investment research and implement projects in industrial zones, smart urban areas, logistics and trade in Phu Tho Province.
Beyond Thailand, foreign investment in Vietnam continues to gather momentum through other international partnerships. In a meeting with Vietnam’s General Secretary To Lam, Kudryashov Sergei Ivanovich, General Director of Russian energy giant Zarubezhneft, affirmed cooperation with Vietnamese partners to develop renewable energy projects, including offshore wind power and green hydrogen.
Meanwhile, in discussions with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chính, Chairman of China Huadian Engineering Co Peng Gangping, expressed intentions to expand investments in biomass, wind and energy storage projects in Vietnam. To date, Huadian has invested approximately US$2.8 billion in power projects in Vietnam, with a total installed capacity of 1.5 GW.
In a strong vote of confidence in Vietnam’s investment climate, US investment fund Warburg Pincus has announced an additional US$1 billion investment in The Grand Ho Tram project, reaffirming its long-term commitment to the country.
The move underscores the continued appeal of Vietnam as a destination for high-value foreign investment, despite global economic uncertainties and recent concerns over US tariff policies that could potentially impact investment flows, baodautu.vn reported.
The Director of Public Policy at Meta, Molly Montgomery,expressed her appreciation for Vietnam's proactive response to the US government's tariff policies.
Speaking during a recent meeting in Washington, DC, with Vo Xuan Hoai, Deputy Director of the National Innovation Centre Montgomery highlighted the significance of the Vietnamese Government's statements to Washington.
For companies with large production networks in Vietnam, these responses are crucial in guiding decisions to invest and expand operations in the country, she said.
Foreign investment disbursement in Vietnam for the first four months of 2025 is estimated at US$6.74 billion, up 7.3 per cent year-on-year. This also marks the highest figure for the first four months in the past five years, according to the Ministry of Finance's General Statistics Office (GSO).
The GSO said that foreign investment registered in Vietnam hit US$13.82 billion in the first four months, marking a yearly rise of 40 per cent.
Singapore led with US$1.6 billion in newly-registered capital (accounting for 28.6 per cent), followed by mainland China with US$1.52 billion (27.1 per cent) and Japan with US$573.2 million (10.3 per cent). Others were Hong Kong (US$499.9 million); Taiwan (US$389 million) and South Korea ($US148 million).
It added that US$6.40 billion was added to 540 operating projects from January to April, 3.9 times higher than last year's corresponding period.
Meanwhile, capital contributions and stake acquisitions made by foreign investors in Vietnam also saw a two-fold increase to US$1.83 billion, with a total of 1,106 deals recorded. - Vietnam News/ANN
