Investment

Ninh Binh's industrial production index (IPI) was estimated to hit 40.3 trillion VND (189 million USD) in 2017,posting an increase of 25 percent against 2016, the provincial Statistics Office reported.

Vietnam has become an attractive market for Japanese retailers following the popularity of Japanese goods in the domestic market

Vietnam and Indonesia have implemented the most reforms in the past 15 years, with 39 reforms each.

The Republic of Korea (RoK) will provide 1.5 billion USD in official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam for 2016-2020 via the Korea Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF).

Vietnam totalled over 105,000 nationwide newly established companies in the first ten months of the year, a year-on-year increase of 14.6 percent, according to the Enterprise Development Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

International regulations on brand protection, inventions, and industrial designs as well as services of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) were introduced to Vietnamese businesses at a conference held in Hanoi on October 24.

The Vietnamese electronics industry is proving an attractive destination for foreign investors, particularly Japanese businesses.

Vietnamese firms ship an annual average of about 0.8 million tonnes of fertiliser overseas, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Over the past 15 years, the Party and State have issued a number of policies, guidelines and measures to facilitate the development of the private sector.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a plan to address the shortcomings at 12 loss-making industrial projects, calling for strict punishment for those held accountable for their inefficiencies.

Vietnam attracted 25.4 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first nine months of 2017, up 34.3 percent year on year, reported the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).

Vietnam Railways (VNR) has proposed an investment of over VND4.6 trillion (US$202.4 million) in order to buy new locomotives and carriages by 2020, with 70% of the total amount to be borrowed from the State-owned Vietnam Development Bank.

Vietnam will reform rice production to gain sustainable development in the production and export of rice, according to Vietnam's Rice Market Development Strategy from 2017 to 2020.

A new mountain road tunnel opened to traffic on August 21, helping to reduce the travel time through the Deo Ca Pass between Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa provinces from 60 minutes to just ten minutes.

FDI flows into Vietnam, including capital from newly registered projects, capital added to existing projects and capital used to buy shares, was US$21.93 billion in the first seven months of 2017, up 52% over the same period of 2016.

Do Nhat Hoang, head of the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, has underlined the need for Vietnam to further improve its investment environment in order to attract more Japanese businesses.

After 30 years of strong and stable growth, the Vietnam economy is moving into a more challenging period. Although many of its economic fundamentals remain strong, the country's manufacturing industry need to shift its productivity to higher standard.

Disbursed foreign direct investment in 2017 was estimated at US$9.05 billion as of July 20, up 5.8% over the same period last year, according to the report of Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.