The southern province of Dong Nai has received 439.8 million USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) so far this year, Bo Ngoc Thu, Director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment has revealed.

Of the total, 119.6 million USD was poured into 15 new projects, while 320.2 million USD was injected to 18 ongoing developments, she said.

As of March 15, Dong Nai has hosted 1,407 FDI projects with a total investment of 24.814 billion USD, including 1,089 valid projects totalling 20.444 billion USD, the official added.

Thu said in order to achieve the target of attracting 900 million USD of FDI this year, the province has offered a number of support policies to investors, including preferential corporate income tax for new and expanded projects.

The projects will enjoy a preferential rate of 22 percent after two first years of tax exemption and a 50 percent cut in four following years, she specified.

Enterprises operating in industrial parks will also get a general tax rate cut of 3 percent, she said, adding that the province has also set up an investment office to support enterprises.

In a recent meeting between the local government and foreign-invested enterprises, FDI firms praised the investment environment in Dong Nai, highlighting the upgraded infrastructure system and the positive support of the government.

They also proposed that local authorities design more training programmes to better the quality of human resources and further simplify procedures for issuing working permits to foreigners.-VNA