Hanoi(VNA) – The southeast region is preparing necessary conditions ininfrastructure, administrative procedures and human resources to welcome a newwave of foreign direct investment (FDI), as investors have flocked to theregion right from the beginning of this year.

The region, comprisingHo Chi Minh City and five provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria–Vung Tau, BinhPhuoc, and Tay Ninh, has been attractive to investors. HCM City and Binh Duong werethe leading localities in FDI attraction in 2022 with 3.94 billion USD and 3.14billion USD, respectively.

Right at the beginning of2023, Binh Duong welcomed many large firms coming to explore the local investmentopportunities, including Sembcorp and CapitaLand from Singapore, Nebraska fromthe US, and Tokyu from Japan.

According to theMinistry of Planning and Investment (MPI)’s Foreign Investment Department, thesoutheast region will continue to be the major FDI magnet of the country in2023. This year, the country may lure about 36-38 billion USD in FDI.

In order to attractinvestors, over the recent years, the region has focused on developing theinfrastructure system to strengthen regional connectivity. A 76.3-km Belt RoadNo.3 crossing four localities of HCM City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and Long Anwill be launched in the second quarter of this year, contributing to motivatingthe region’s development.

Meanwhile, regionallocalities have broadened the national highway and expressway systems to boosttheir growth.

Commenting on thegrowth prospect of the region, Japanese Consul General in HCM City WatanabeNobuhiro said that once the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau expressway and Belt RoadsNo.3 and No.4 are put into operations, the connections among regionallocalities will be fostered, making the region even more attractive.

Alongside, the localitieshave also expanded their industrial parks (IPs) to make more spaces forinvestors.

HCM City is working ona 668-hectare Pham Van Hai IP, while Binh Duong is turning the 1,000-hectareVietnam-Singapore IP (VSIP) to a green IP and investing on a 1,000-hectare CayTruong IP as well as Rach Bap IP.

At the same time, DongNai is finalising procedures to set up eight other IPs, which are expectedto provide more than 7,000 hectares of industrial land for investors.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau isalso working on a plan to set up eight more IPs with a total area of over 8,000hectares from now to 2030.

Furthermore, thelocalities have concentrated on improving their investment environment, withthe promotion of single-window mechanism at IPs, aiming to make all proceduresinvolving businesses faster, smoother and easier.

In terms of humanresources, the localities have formed a linkage among the State, businesses andtraining facilities to ensure human resources training match businesses’demands, and create a start-up ecosystem.

With the carefulpreparations of necessary conditions, experts predicted that the region will continueto take the leading role in FDI attraction./.