VietNamNet Bridge – Cities and provinces in the southeast region saw a rise in foreign invested projects in the first half of the year. Officials from more urbanised areas focused on attracting hi-tech projects, while labour-intensive ones were concentrated in less-urbanised provinces.

HCM City attracted 206 foreign invested projects with a total registered capital of US$7.6 billion in the first half of the year, 10 times as much money as the same period last year.

The southeast region includes HCM City and Dong Nai, Lam Dong, Binh Thuan, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh and Binh Duong provinces.

HCM City attracted 206 foreign invested projects with a total registered capital of US$7.6 billion in the first half of the year, 10 times as much money as the same period last year.

Besides HCM City, in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces also drew their fair share of foreign direct investment.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province attracted 28 foreign invested projects with a total registered capital of $6.4 billion, surpassing the province's target of 126 per cent this year.

Investors in the province are mainly interested in developing seaports and infrastructure at industrial parks, according to the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Department of Industry and Trade.

Located close to HCM City and with good infrastructure already in place, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Dong Nai and Binh Duong provincial officials are adopting policies to attract projects that involve advanced technology, are environmentally friendly, produce high-value products and employ fewer workers.

Labour intensive projects are typically directed at less developed provinces in the region, such as Binh Thuan or Tay Ninh.

The transfer of such investment projects within the region would help Binh Thuan develop its industry, said an official from the Binh Thuan Province Department of Industry and Trade.

However, the region needs to boost inter-provincial co-operation to transfer investment projects, the official said, adding that a general investment-zoning plan to regulate investment projects is also needed in the region.

Binh Duong Province plans to reserve 100-200ha of land to build an international trade and convention centre, said Nguyen Thi Dien, director of the Binh Duong Province Department of Industry and Trade.

However, organisers cannot call on investors or draw up proposals because the region lacks a general investment zoning plan, Dien said.

To make the transfer of investment projects more efficient, less-developed provinces should be focused in industrial parks and complexes, according to deputy minister of Industry and Trade Do Huu Hao.

The provinces need to build industrial parks and new residential complexes in accordance with each province's urban planning schemes, Hao said.

(Source: Viet Nam News)