Southeast region sees strong foreign direct investment inflow in early 2025

Localities in the southeast region are rolling out new investment strategies focused on sustainability, high-quality projects, digital transformation, and green and circular economies.

A corner of the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP1) in Thuan An City, Binh Duong Province. (Photo: VNA)
A corner of the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP1) in Thuan An City, Binh Duong Province. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam’s southeast key economic region is showing promising signs of foreign direct investment (FDI) growth in the first two months of 2025, reinforcing its position as a prime destination for global capital.

Regional localities are rolling out new investment strategies focused on sustainability, high-quality projects, digital transformation, and green and circular economies.

Positive investment momentum

Despite global economic uncertainties, Binh Duong province has exceeded its FDI target for 2024 and remains the second-largest recipient of foreign investment, after Ho Chi Minh City.

The province has so far this year approved seven FDI projects worth nearly 1 billion USD, spanning high-tech industries, electronics manufacturing, logistics, and industrial real estate.

At a recent discussion on investment expansion in Binh Duong, Wong Man Li, Chairman of Hong Kong-based Manwah Group, praised the province’s impressive economic growth and favourable investment environment. He said the company plans to inject an additional 50 million USD into a new factory to scale up local production.

Binh Duong is also working with the World Bank to develop eco-industrial parks incorporating green energy, solar power, and smart water management. This aligns with the province’s 2021–2030 master plan, which envisions next-generation industrial zones as key drivers for high-tech investment.

Meanwhile, Dong Nai province recently granted investment certificates for 14 projects in its industrial zones, totalling 738 million USD. Of this, 243 million USD came from seven new FDI projects.

The province has set an FDI target of 1.1 billion USD for 2025, equivalent to its 2024 goal. However, in just over a month, Dong Nai has already attracted nearly 690 million USD, reaching 63% of its annual target. Investments are spread across 10 new FDI projects and 16 capital expansion initiatives, mainly in high-tech, eco-friendly industries that require less labour and meet environmental standards.

Competitive advantages in FDI attraction

Binh Duong has established itself as a prime destination for FDI, thanks to its well-developed infrastructure, attractive investment policies, and pro-business environment. Its emphasis on high-tech industries, smart manufacturing, and digital transformation continues to attract major global players.

The province is also streamlining administrative procedures to speed up investment approvals and assist businesses in overcoming challenges.

According to Mai Hung Dung, Standing Vice Chairman of the Binh Duong People’s Committee, the province is ramping up efforts to enhance infrastructure, improve investment conditions, and develop a high-quality workforce.

To attract more FDI, Binh Duong has designated nearly 20,000 hectares for next-generation industrial zones along major transport corridors such as Ring Roads 3 and 4, the Ho Chi Minh City–Thu Dau Mot–Chon Thanh Expressway, and the Ho Chi Minh Highway.

Similarly, Dong Nai is accelerating the development of four new industrial parks approved in 2024, adding more than 2,500 hectares of industrial land for investors. These include the Bau Can–Tan Hiep, Phuoc Binh 2, Long Duc 3, and Xuan Que–Song Nhan industrial zones, set to provide prime locations for foreign businesses.

Dong Nai People’s Committee Chairman Vo Tan Duc reaffirmed the province’s commitment to improving the investment climate and supporting businesses across key sectors, including industry, tourism, agriculture, infrastructure, and real estate. The local administration is also actively engaging with FDI enterprises to address their concerns and facilitate investment opportunities through domestic and international promotion events.

With a strong start and a wealth of competitive advantages, Dong Nai’s FDI inflows are expected to exceed projections for 2025, further strengthening its position as a top investment hub in Vietnam./.

VNA

See more

An overview of the International Coffee Conference 2026 (Photo: VNA)

Global Coffee Alliance launched to drive sustainable, inclusive growth

The Global Coffee Alliance is envisioned as a public–private partnership that bridges diplomatic efforts with business operations. Looking ahead to 2040, it aims to develop a global coffee ecosystem that is inclusive, technology-driven, and aligned with net-zero emissions goals.

At Dung Quat oil refinery (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam races to restart idle ethanol plants to meet surging demand

Do Van Tuan, Chairman of the Vietnam Biofuels Association, said that monthly ethanol demand for the E10 blend is projected at 92,000–100,000 cu.m. The country’s six ethanol plants have a combined design capacity of roughly 41,000 cu. m per month, but only three are now running, churning out about 25,000 cu.m, or just 25–27% of demand. Even if every plant hits full tilt, local supply would cover only around 41% of national needs.

At a supermarket in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City to pilot pork trading on Mercantile Exchange of Vietnam

Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, said listing pork on the MXV will finally give consumers and firms more stable prices, while slapping on stricter food safety rules and making it easier to track where the meat actually comes from. Farmers, meanwhile, stand to gain from more predictable margins and dodge fewer of the supply-demand imbalances that routinely distort prices.

Processing octopus for export to the Japanese market at Huy Nam Company in An Giang (Photo: VNA)

Squid, octopus exports pick up early in 2026

In terms of product structure, squid has emerged as the main growth driver. Export turnover of squid exceeded 64 million USD, rising nearly 30%, while octopus exports brought in more than 47 million USD, up over 16%. The development indicates that demand for squid products is recovering faster in the short term.

The world’s longest over-sea cable car to Hon Thom Island in the Phu Quoc special zone, An Giang province. (Photo: VNA)

An Giang steps up tourism development ahead of APEC 2027

Tourism in the province has recorded strong growth, affirming its position as one of the region’s leading destinations. Phu Quoc Island continues to attract the majority of international travellers, receiving more than 817,660 visitors, accounting for over 98.5% of total foreign arrivals to the province.

Import-export activities at Lach Huyen international port in Hai Phong (Photo: VNA)

Reducing risks, removing logistics bottlenecks amid Middle East volatility

According to Truong Xuan Trung, Trade Counsellor of Vietnam in the UAE, the Middle East serves not only as a consumption market but also as a key global transhipment hub, meaning instability in the region creates ripple effects across intercontinental transport networks. Shipping route adjustments and airspace restrictions have lengthened transit times, increased costs and disrupted delivery schedules, with some Vietnamese shipments forced to reroute or seek alternative markets.

Cargo is handled at container terminals No. 3 and No. 4 of Hai Phong International Gateway Port. (Photo: VNA)

Businesses seek “survival momentum” amid global geopolitical turbulence

This is an urgent move as the challenges of 2026 differ markedly from previous ones, shaped by overlapping external shocks ranging from geopolitical tensions disrupting supply chains to surging logistics and raw material costs, exchange-rate pressures, and increasingly complex tariff barriers in global markets.

At the 2025 trade connectivity week for mechanical, electrical and digital industries. (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City gives boost to supporting industry firms

Supporting industry firms in Ho Chi Minh City are scrambling to embed themselves more deeply into both global and domestic supply chains, backed by a suite of local incentives that are speeding up their tech upgrades and market access.

Italy's national pavilion at the ongoing Food & Hospitality Vietnam 2026 exhibition at Ho Chi Minh City's Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) draws visitors for hands-on experiences. (Photo: IVNA)

Italian food firms eye opportunities in Vietnam

Italy’s exports of food and beverages to Vietnam reached 105.1 million EUR in 2025, up 4% year-on-year, positioning the country among the leading EU suppliers to the Vietnamese market.

An overview of the working session (Photo: baoquangninh.vn)

Quang Ninh promotes all-round cooperation with Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Quang Ninh encourages Guangxi enterprises to invest in high-tech marine aquaculture and expand aquatic product exports in China. At the same time, the province aims to develop livestock farming in line with international standards and attract investment in deep-processing plants for agricultural products such as cinnamon, star anise and tea, linked with traceability systems at border gates.

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Vietnam becomes fastest growing market for Norwegian salmon in Southeast Asia

The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) reported at the “Norwegian seafood industry in Vietnam market 2026” event held in Ho Chi Minh City on March 25 that fresh Norwegian salmon exports to Vietnam jumped 16% in volume in the first two months of 2026 compared with a year earlier, while frozen salmon shipments surged about 37%.

At a petrol station (Photo: VNA)

Energy giants work hard to roll out E10 RON95 sale ahead of schedule

Petrolimex and PVOIL, are in a strong position to accelerate the transition toward cleaner fuels. These companies have been actively preparing infrastructure, upgrading blending systems, and coordinating supply chains to ensure the availability of E10 RON95 across their nationwide retail systems.