Vietnamese investors had channeled nearly US$20 billion into 962 new and 115 existing projects abroad as of the end of last month, according to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment
Accordingly, around $15 billion was invested in 962 new projects, while the rest was earmarked for 115 existing ones.
According to the FIA, Vietnamese investors chiefly concentrate their funds on a number of traditional markets such as Laos and Cambodia.
While the former houses 259 Vietnamese-owned projects with total registered capital of $3.9 billion, accounting for 27 percent of the total projects and 26 percent of the total registered investment, the latter accommodates 171 Vietnamese-invested projects with total registered capital of $3.2 billion, making up 18 percent of the total projects and 22 percent of the total investment, the FIA said.
Vietnamese enterprises have also invested in 18 projects in Russia with a total investment of $968 million, two projects in Venezuela with a total investment of $1.8 billion, and six projects in Peru with a total investment of $1.3 billion, according to the FIA.
They have seen rapid growth recently in their overseas investment, not only in traditional markets but also other countries such as Algeria, Malaysia, Myanmar and the United States, the FIA said.
Regarding operating industries overseas, Vietnamese enterprises have invested most heavily in the mining sector, followed by agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
In recent years, Vietnamese businesses have also been expanding to other sectors such as information and communication, power generation, real estate, finance, banking and insurance services, the FIA said.
Besides investment outflows of state-run enterprises like Viettel, Vinamilk and subsidiaries of the Vietnam Rubber Group and other state-run banks, investment by the private sector, particularly from individuals and small- and medium-sized enterprises, is increasing.
In 2014, about 12.5 percent and 76 percent of total licensed investment projects abroad were funded by individual investors and private companies, respectively.
Vietnamese businesses invested more than $1.78 billion in 28 countries and territories worldwide in 2014, according to the FIA.
As of the end of last year, Vietnam’s overseas investment topped $19.78 billion, and approximately $6 billion, or 30.6 percent of the total capital, had been disbursed.
Source: Tuoitre News
