HCM CITY DRAWS OVER $2.86B IN IZ INVESTMENT DURING 2020–25

Fifteen hi-tech projects, accounting for 6 per cent of the new projects, have a combined investment of nearly US$860 million, representing 44.17 per cent of the total newly registered capital.

At an FDI company in HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Investment inflows into export processing and industrial zones (IZs) in HCM City have surpassed US$2.86 billion during the 2020–25 period, equivalent to 114.6 per cent of the initial $2.5 billion target, according to the HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority (HEPZA).

Of the total, foreign investment has exceeded $935.3 million, including 75 newly licensed projects with over $334.3 million in capital. Domestic investment reached over VNĐ45.4 trillion (roughly $1.9 billion), including 202 new projects worth nearly VNĐ37.9 trillion.

Lê Văn Thinh, head of HEPZA, said on Monday that the period has seen a clear shift toward high-tech and value-added sectors such as software, telecommunications, electronics, pharmaceuticals, precision mechanics, and electrical equipment.

Notably, 15 hi-tech projects (6 per cent of the new projects) have combined investment of $859.87 million, or 44.17 per cent of the total newly registered capital.

The influx of new projects has also created over 26,000 new jobs, bringing total employment in the zones to more than 257,700.

On average, over 85 per cent of workers have undergone formal training, and many companies now maintain university-level qualification rates exceeding 90 per cent among employees, Thinh added.

Efforts to support start-ups and key product development focuse on rubber – plastic, mechanics – automation, and food processing sectors. Land is being prioritised for hi-tech and environmentally friendly projects, with plans to establish specialised industrial zones dedicated to these industries.

Under the city's development master plan for 2021–30, with a vision to 2050, the current 23 export processing and industrial zones covering 5,900 ha will be maintained. An additional 2,465 ha is earmarked for 10 new IZs, bringing the total area to 8,369 ha across 33 zones.

To further attract investment, HEPZA has overhauled its management model, strengthened the "single-window" administrative framework, and cut administrative processing times by 30 per cent through streamlining its organisational structure and workforce. — VNS

Source: VNS

Related News

INFRASTRUCTURE / CONSTRUCTION / LOGISTIC / PORT

VIỆT NAM-CAMBODIA TRADE GATHERS PACE TOWARDS $20 BILLION TARGET

Trade between Việt Nam and Cambodia continues to grow, remaining a bright spot and a key pillar of bilateral cooperation as the two countries aim to raise two-way trade to US$20 billion in the coming years. After setting a record of more than $11.3 billion last year, bilateral trade reached about $8.7 billion in the first eight months of this year, up 8.3 per cent year on year.

Oct 14, 2026

TECHNOLOGY

AI BEGINNING TO RESHAPE RECRUITMENT CRITERIA

Digital literacy is the only capability area in which fresh graduates meet employers’ expectations, according to a new report. Yet, it is also the standard rising fastest, as businesses increasingly expect new hires to use AI effectively in the workplace. Some 83 per cent of employers say AI has changed, or is beginning to change, their hiring criteria, while 94 per cent report higher expectations for digital and AI capabilities than they had two to three years ago.

Oct 14, 2026

INFRASTRUCTURE / CONSTRUCTION / LOGISTIC / PORT

ĐÀ NẴNG GREEN-LIGHTS US$105 MILLION THAI DEVELOPMENT DEAL

The central city has approved an investment proposal by Thailand’s WHA Group to develop infrastructure for the 400ha WHA Đà Nẵng Industrial Park project on two communes of Thăng Bình and Đồng Dương, with an investment of more than VNĐ2.7 trillion (US$105 million). The city said it approved WHA Industrial Development International's status as an investor in the project, which is expected to take place between 2027 and 2034.

Oct 14, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

MOBILE PHONE EXPORTS RISE 20% TO $51.8 BILLION IN FIRST NINE MONTHS

Exports of mobile phones and components rose 20 per cent year-on-year to nearly US$51.8 billion in the first nine months of 2026, with China, the US and Republic of Korea accounting for more than half of the total. Shipments to the three markets reached a combined $26.18 billion, or 50.6 per cent of total exports of the product group during the period, according to data from the Vietnam Department of Customs under the Ministry of Finance.

Oct 14, 2026

VIETNAM ECONOMY INVESTMENT

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE EXPORTS POISED TO HIT $10 BILLION IN 2026

Fruit and vegetable exports are on track to reach nearly US$10 billion in 2026, after rising 19.9 per cent year on year to nearly US$7.4 billion in the first nine months, driven by strong seasonal demand and abundant tropical fruit supplies. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said the growth reflected stronger international demand for fresh produce and processed agricultural products.

Oct 14, 2026

GARMENT / TEXTILE

TEXTILE EXPORTS FACE DUAL CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINING ORDERS AND BOOSTING EFFICIENCY AMID GROWING COMPETITION

Data shows that the textile and garment sector maintained its growth momentum in the first nine months of this year. The industry's total export turnover reached an estimated US$35.721 billion in the first nine months of this year, up 3.3 per cent year-on-year. Despite posting encouraging export figures, Vietnamese textile and garment enterprises continue to navigate unpredictable market variables.

Oct 14, 2026