11:23:36 AM | 7/17/2026
In the first six months of 2026, Phu Tho Province achieved strong investment attraction results, securing US$1.7797 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), exceeding its annual target by 110.2% and increasing 4.86-fold from the same period last year. Along with 86 domestic investment projects with total registered capital of VND18.7 trillion (US$748 million), these results reflect the effectiveness of the province's proactive, targeted investment promotion strategy and the growing attractiveness of its investment environment.
The Phu Tho delegation meets with the Vietnamese Embassy in Spain to strengthen investment ties and regional cooperation, June 2026
Modernizing promotion approaches for high-quality investment
From the beginning of the year, investment promotion has been one of the province's key priorities for mobilizing resources to support economic development. Phu Tho Provincial Center for Investment Promotion and Business Support has worked closely with provincial departments, agencies, and local authorities to advise the Provincial People's Committee on adopting a more proactive and targeted approach. The strategy also links investment promotion with improvements to the business environment, administrative reform, industrial infrastructure development, site clearance, and post-licensing support for investors.
A key feature of the province's approach is integrating investment promotion into its long-term development strategy. The issuance of the 2026-2030 New Generation FDI Attraction Strategy, together with a list of priority investment projects, has enabled the province to clearly identify priority sectors while targeting projects with advanced technologies, high added value, and strong economic spillover effects.
Building on this foundation, while continuing to cultivate traditional investment markets such as South Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan (China), the province has expanded outreach to potential investors in new markets. Priority sectors include manufacturing and processing, supporting industries, logistics, industrial park infrastructure, trade and services, education, healthcare, tourism, and high-tech agriculture.
During the first six months of the year, Phu Tho attracted 61 FDI projects, including 15 newly licensed projects and 46 existing projects with additional capital, bringing total registered investment to US$1.7797 billion, exceeding the annual target and increasing 4.86-fold from the same period in 2025. In addition to the sharp increase in investment volume, capital expansion projects accounted for most of the total FDI.
In the domestic investment segment, the province attracted 86 projects, including 41 newly approved projects and 45 adjusted projects, with total registered capital of VND18.7 trillion (US$748 million).
Three areas, three competitive advantages
A defining feature of Phu Tho's investment landscape is that each area has built on its competitive advantages following the expansion of the province's development space.
The former Vinh Phuc area continues to benefit from its well-established industrial base. Supported by a strong industrial park network and automotive, motorcycle, and electronics manufacturing supply chains, the area attracted 36 FDI projects, including 31 capital expansion projects.
Meanwhile, the former Phu Tho area has emerged as a leading destination for new FDI projects. It attracted 20 FDI projects, including eight newly licensed projects, with total registered capital of US$738.2 million. Investment was concentrated in high-tech and electronics industries, in line with the province's strategy for attracting new-generation FDI.
In the former Hoa Binh area, investment promotion has taken a more selective approach, focusing on large-scale projects in green industry and ecotourism. During the first six months of the year, the area attracted five FDI projects with total registered capital of US$653.2 million, all located in industrial parks.
Domestic investment has also reflected the strengths of each area. The former Vinh Phuc area remained the province's industrial center, attracting 29 domestic investment projects with total registered capital of VND6.76 trillion (US$270.4 million), most of them located in industrial parks. The former Phu Tho area ranked first in the number of projects, attracting 40 domestic investment projects with registered capital of VND8.356 trillion (US$334.2 million). Meanwhile, the former Hoa Binh area secured 17 domestic investment projects with total registered capital of VND3.627 trillion (US$145.1 million), most of them located outside industrial parks.
The province's investment profile is even stronger when viewed through its cumulative results. Phu Tho currently has 747 active FDI projects with total registered capital exceeding US$15 billion from investors representing 28 countries and territories. South Korea remains the province's largest foreign investor, followed by Japan, Hong Kong (China), Taiwan (China), Singapore, and China.
According to Bui Hong Do, Director of Phu Tho Provincial Center for Investment Promotion and Business Support, the province's investment attraction results in the first half of 2026 reflect more than strong growth. They also demonstrate a shift in the province's development approach. Integrating investment promotion with improvements to the business environment, administrative reform, infrastructure preparation, and ongoing investor support is creating a solid foundation for attracting more high-quality investment projects.
By Le Hien, Vietnam Business Forum
