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Dear readers,
Investors from 139 countries and territories are now doing business in Vietnam, and the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has listed the country among the top 20
in attracting FDI.
As of the end of March, the total number of FDI projects in operation stood at 34,815, with registered
capital of $422.84 billion.
In the three years from 1988 to 1990, after the first Law on Foreign Investment was passed in
December 1987, Vietnam attracted 213 FDI projects with registered capital of $1.8 billion.
FDI projects and registered capital have therefore increased more than 163-fold and nearly 235-fold,
respectively, since that initial period.
There can be no doubt that FDI has made significant contributions to Vietnam’s socio-economic
development, especially in regard to economic growth and export performance. According to 2020
data from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the FDI sector contributed about 20 per cent of
GDP and 23.7 per cent of total social investment capital. In the following year, according to the
General Department of Vietnam Customs, it posted export turnover of $245.22 billion (including
crude oil), up 20.9 per cent year-on-year and accounting for about 72.9 per cent of the country’s total.
Foreign investors are greatly appreciated for their contributions to the country’s economic growth
and their social responsibility. They have also enjoyed a favorable investment environment created
by the government.
Without such contributions, Vietnam would not have reached its impressive socio-economic
development goals.
With that in mind, our Cover Story in this April edition looks at the FDI sector’s business activities,
its growth, its contributions to socio-economic development, and, its efforts in sustainable development.
In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam Economic Times will hold the “Vietnam
Connect Forum 2022”, with the theme “Resource Convergence for Promoting Green Growth and
Sustainable Development”, and the ceremony for the Golden Dragon Awards 2022 this month in Ho
Chi Minh City, honoring enterprises for their contributions to green growth and sustainable
development in Vietnam.
Congratulations to all of the winners!
DR. CHU VAN LAM
Editor-in-Chief