Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Viet Nam witnessed a significant yearly increase of 81% to 14.59 billion USD in the first 4 months of the year, according to the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Viet Nam attracted a record FDI level of 14.59 billion USD in the first 4 months of the year. (Photo: cafef.vn)

The result is the highest in the past 4 years.

FDI disbursement also rose by 7.5% from the same period last year to reach 5.7 billion USD.

Up to 1,082 new projects were granted licences with total registered capital of 5.34 billion USD, up 50.4% from the same period last year, while 395 existing projects receiving an additional 2.11 billion USD, 94% of the level from the corresponding period last year.

Meanwhile, capital pledged for stake acquisitions reached 5.68 billion USD, triple the same period last year, the FIA said.

Foreign investors poured their cash into 19 sectors. Manufacturing and processing remained the most appealing sector by attracting 10.5 billion USD, accounting for 72% of total investment inflow. It was followed by real estate with 1.1 billion USD (7.5%) and wholesale and retail with 742.7 million USD (5%).

Hong Kong was the leading source of foreign investment with 4.7 billion USD among 80 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam, nearly 32.5 %of the country’s total FDI. The Republic of Korea ranked second with 1.98 billion USD (13.6 percent), and Singapore came next with 1.87 billion USD (12.8 percent).

In the first four months of the year, Ha Noi lured the largest share of registered capital with 4.47 billion USD, or 30.6% of total investment. The capital was followed by HCM City with 2.37 billion USD (16.3%) and the southern province of Binh Duong with 1 billion USD (7%).

Exports (including crude oil) of the foreign sector reached 55.4 billion USD, a 4 %year-on-year increase and accounting for 70% of the country’s total export turnover.

The sector's import turnover in the January-April period rose by 9% compared to the same period last year to 42.3 billion USD, accounting for 58% of the country’s total import turnover.

The foreign sector enjoyed a trade surplus of 13.1 billion USD in the four months.

(Source: VNA)