Japan overcame 86 countries and territories to become the largest foreign investor in Vietnam in the first six months of this year, with 6.47 billion USD, or 31.8 percent of the total registered capital.

Japanese investors poured 4.138 billion USD into a project on building a smart city in Hanoi’s Dong Anh district. 

Foreign investors invested a total of over 20 billion USD in 1,366 new projects and 507 existing ones as well as in contributing capital and buying shares in domestic company in the reviewed period.

With 5.06 billion USD, the Republic of Korea was Vietnam’s second biggest investor, followed by Singapore with 2.39 billion USD.

During January-June, foreign investors poured their capital into 55 provinces and cities, in which Hanoi ranked first with 5.87 billion USD. The capital city was followed by Ho Chi Minh City (3.68 billion USD), and Ba Ria-Vung Tau province (1.93 billion USD).

Manufacturing-processing industry continued to attract the most foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam in the first half of 2018, with 7.91 billion USD, accounting for 38.9 percent of the total registered capital.

It was followed by real estate, with 5.54 billion USD, and the wholesale and retail sector with 1.5 billion USD, making up 27.3 percent and 7.4 percent of the total, respectively.

To date, Vietnam has attracted nearly 26,000 projects with a registered capital of 326 billion USD. Disbursement is estimated at 180 billion USD.

Foreign investment accounts for 25 percent of the country’s total investments and contributes 20 percent of GDP. Last year, the sector contributed nearly 8 billion USD to the State budget, 14.4 percent of total revenue.

At present, 58 percent of foreign investments focus on processing and manufacturing, generating half of industrial production value.-VNA