Vietnam is estimated to have pulled in a total pledged foreign direct investment (FDI) capital of US$31.6 billion since early this year, tripling that of the corresponding period last year, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) said.
The figure also accounted for up to 48.3 per cent of the country&rsquos total registered FDI in 2007, the MPI said.
Over the first half, Vietnam licensed 487 projects capitalized at over US$30.9 billion, up 71.8 per cent in project number and four folds in capital value on-year.
Meanwhile, the country allowed 58 others to raise their registered capital by US$661.2 million, up 72.5 per cent and 55.1 per cent in project number and capital value on-year respectively.
The biggest project included a US$7.9 billion Hung Nghiep Formosa steel plant in central Ha Tinh province, US$6.2 billion Nghi Son oil refinery and a US$4.23 billion tourism complex in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.
Following were a US$1.29 billion tourism project by the U.S.&rsquos Good Choice in Ba Ria-Vung Tau and a US$1.2 billion project by TA Associates Vietnam Ltd. Co. in Ho Chi Minh City.
During the six-month phase, Taiwan ranked first among 31 countries and territories investing in the country with 64 projects valued at US$8.2 billion. Coming next were Japan with 47 projects worth over US$7.1 billion and Canada with 3 projects capitalized at US$4.2 billion.
Central Ha Tinh province has for the first time posted the number one in attracting g FDI with the US$7.9 billion steel plant by Taiwanese Hung Nghiep Formosa Co. Ltd.
The runners-up were Thanh Hoa province with US$6.2 billion and Ba Ria-Vung Tau with US$5.5 billion. They were followed by Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Kien Giang, Bac Ninh and Hanoi.
The MPI said the six-month period also marked a record of FDI disbursement of around US$5 billion, up 37.6 per cent on-year.
The ministry added that the new record made by Vietnam in FDI attraction showed foreign investors&rsquo trust in the country&rsquos investment environment despite its high inflation. (VNA, Vietnam Economic Times)
Vietnamese
