Jan-May FDI approvals soar 136% year-on-year
According to statistics of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, 907 new FDI projects with total registered capital of US$7.56 billion had been approved in the year to May 20, up a staggering 155.9% against the same period last year. Besides, firms had pledged to pour into 425 operational projects with a combined US$2.59 billion, surging 93.3% year-on-year.
US$5.8 billion in FDI has been disbursed in the period, up 17.2% compared to the same period last year.
Among 19 sectors with new FDI pledges, processing-manufacturing has taken the lead with US$6.61 billion registered for new and operational projects and accounting for 65.1% of total FDI approvals in May.
It is followed by the information and communications sector with US$1.3 billion for new and existing projects, or 12.8% of the total, and real estate with US$542.8 million, accounting for 5.3%.
Of the 60 nations and territories investing in Vietnam in the first five months, South Korea is the biggest investor with US$3.42 billion pledged for new and operational projects, followed by Luxembourg with US$1.25 billion, and Singapore with US$907.1 million.
The ministry said in January-May, FDI firms have exported goods worth US$48.26 billion including crude oil, up 7.7% year-on-year and making up 71.28 % of the country’s total outbound sales. Their export revenue has totaled US$47.38 billion if crude oil is excluded, rising by 10% over the year-earlier period.
Imports of foreign-invested firms in the period have increased 1.9% year-on-year to US$39.16 billion and made up 59% of the country’s total imports. In all, the FDI sector has enjoyed a trade surplus of US$9.11 billion in the five-month period.
