This was an eight per cent increase year-on-year.

A report by the planning and investment ministry's foreign investment agency said 1,619 new projects with foreign investment were granted licences during the reviewed period, with the capital amounting to $9.79 billion, up 24.3 per cent year-on-year.

Another $4.57 billion was added to operating projects, 16.3 per cent lower than last year's corresponding period.

The report said FDI disbursement rose nine per cent to touch $9.8 billion during the period.

The manufacturing and processing sector attracted the largest FDI amount of more than $10.53 billion, accounting for 73 per cent of the nation's FDI. The real estate sector ranked second with $836 million, or six per cent, and the science and technology sector followed with $622.3 million, or 4.3 per cent.

From January to August, South Korea continued to be Viet Nam's leading foreign investor, injecting more than $4.8 billion, or 33.4 per cent of the total FDI registered in the country. Singapore came next with $1.68 billion, or 12 per cent, while Japan ranked third with $1.46 billion, or 10 per cent.

The northern port city of Hai Phong received the largest FDI amount of more than $2 billion, followed by the two southern provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Duong with $1.59 billion and $1.38 billion, respectively. 

VNS