Vietnam has garnered international praise for its swift and effective response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Although the country is not immune to the global economic downturn, its prospects for recovery remain positive and are the brightest among Asian countries. This view was also shared by the financial service firm UBS in a research note.
Vietnam’s economy shows positive signs
Data released by the General Statistics Office (GSO) estimated a 1.81 percent growth to Vietnam’s GDP in the first half of 2020. Despite being modest, these rates are encouraging considering that Vietnam is one of few countries that achieved positive growth during the pandemic. With business activities resuming normal operations, Vietnam’s economy is set to regain its momentum going into the second half of the year.
According to government economic advisors, economic growth this year will slow down to 3 to 4 percent compared to 7.02 percent last year.
The latest figures from the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) give an overview of Vietnam’s performance in the first six months of 2020.
Vietnam’s continued FDI growth despite pandemic
The pandemic certainly had a dampening effect on Vietnam’s previously record-breaking FDI growth rates. As of June 2020, foreign investment projects disbursed US$8.65 billion, which is equivalent to 95.1 percent over the same period last year. However, FDI attraction saw a 3.1 percent increase from last year, a rise of 14.9 percent compared to the previous month of May.
As with last year, Asian countries represent the lion’s share of FDI into Vietnam.
In the first six months of the year, Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan, and South Korea were the top five investors by revenue. In terms of the number of projects, South Korea, China, Japan, and Hong Kong were the leading contributors.
China’s growing investment
Of particular note is China’s ongoing acceleration of its investment in Vietnam, which allowed it to rise from being the fourth largest investor last year to now the third by total capital and second by the number of projects. Despite the poor reputation of Chinese companies and tense Sino-Vietnamese relations, this trend may reflect Vietnam’s more pragmatic attitude towards attracting much needed private capital and foreign expertise.
The approval of major projects in early 2020, which were submitted and negotiated prior to the pandemic, heavily contributed to the 3.1 percent year-on-year increase in new investment and capital adjustment.
Industrial zones (IZs) across the country attracted US$6 billion in FDI in the first half of the year, with Bac Lieu, Ho Chi Minh City, and Ba Ria – Vung Tau leading in terms of share of capital commitment.
Bac Lieu leads the way
Bac Lieu province is the site of new a liquified natural gas-fired power plant, a project by Singapore’s Delta Offshore Energy Pte Ltd, worth approximately US$4 billion. This explains why the province accounts for 25.5 percent of total investment with only one project. Therefore, although the number of new projects decreased, the larger average size per project kept FDI growth afloat.
The sectors that received the most foreign investment in the first half of 2020 are manufacturing and processing, electricity, gas steam, air production and distribution, retail and wholesale, and real estate. With the exception of a surge in energy investment attributed to the Bac Lieu project, the ranking of the top sectors has largely remained unchanged compared to last year.
In Vietnam’s southern region, the country’s most important center of economic activity, industrial land prices surged in the second quarter of 2020. The average leasing cost reached US$106 per square meter; a 9.7 percent increase compared to last year. Thus, many companies and investors still have a strong interest in Vietnam’s industrial real estate market despite the pandemic-induced slowdown.
Digital technology and high-tech products contribute to increased revenue
Within the manufacturing industry, digital technology and high-tech products continue to be a major source of revenue for Vietnam even in the context of a global pandemic. In the first six months of 2020, phones, electronics, and computers were the top commodities in terms of export value and share.
Some of the major project investments in this period include China’s USI project to manufacture wearable electronic circuit boards in Hai Phong, Japan’s Furukawa Automotive Systems project to produce electric wires for cars in Vinh Long, and Taiwan’s Victory project to manufacture and assemble computers and other related parts.
Although these achievements are consistent with the government’s desired shift towards high-tech manufacturing, low-tech products such as garment and footwear are still among Vietnam’s top five exports.
The development of Industry 4.0 to support innovation has been identified as both a priority and a challenge. Recently, several major firms established their production and research and development facilities in Vietnam. At a domestic level, Ho Chi Minh City is planning to develop an AI strategy which includes establishing three innovation centers across the country.
After successfully producing 5G equipment, Vietnam announced that it will commercialize the technology in October this year. Though ambitious, if well-executed these plans will certainly help the country enhance its competitive advantage.
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This article is produced by Vietnam Briefing, a premium source of information for investors looking to set up and conduct business in Vietnam. The site is a publishing arm of Dezan Shira & Associates, a leading foreign investment consultancy in Asia with over 27 years of experience assisting businesses with market entry, site selection, legal, tax, accounting, HR and payroll services throughout the region.
