FDI Is Expected to Flow into Vietnam After the Covid-19 Epidemic

The Covid-19 epidemic is also considered an opportunity for Vietnam to receive faster flows of foreign investment, especially capital flows away from China.

According to the Director of Foreign Investment Department (Ministry of Planning and Investment), a large US corporation is planning to invest a multi-billion-dollar project in Asia. The two locations they considered were China and Vietnam. Given the situation of the Covid-19 epidemic in China, it is likely that they will choose Vietnam. In March, they will make a final decision…

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A group of Korean and US investors interested in LNG power projects in Vietnam is probably one of the rare foreign business delegations coming to Vietnam at the time of the outbreak of Covid-19. On February 11th, they went to the Government Office and the Ministry of Planning and Investment to work on this content.

Without hiding ambition, according to representative of Korean investors consortium including Korea Gas Corporation, Southern Korea Electric Company, Hanwha Group… – they want to invest into LNG port and gas power plant projects in Vietnam. Even in addition to the electricity sector, these investors also want to invest in other areas in Vietnam.

The fact that foreign investors still coming to Vietnam at this time proves the attraction of Vietnam. The postponement and cancellation of investment promotion trips of foreign investors is only momentary.

In addition, according to the National Center for Socio-Economic Information and Forecast, the Covid-19 epidemic showed that the world was too dependent on China.

Having similar views, the New York Times also forecast that the flow of foreign investment from China to Vietnam to avoid US taxes could be accelerated by the Covid-19 epidemic.

According to the representative of JETRO Hanoi Office, in order to disperse risks, 122 Japanese enterprises asked by JETRO said that they decided to relocate their production in China and the place to be moved to the top is Vietnam.

Vietnam is at the top of the list, with 42.3% of the 122 businesses mentioned above have chosen. Following Vietnam is Thailand (20.6%), Philippines (18.6%) and Indonesia (16.5%). Japanese enterprises moving away from China not only because of trade war, but also to evade the increasing input costs in this market.

In the international market, it is forecasted that the flow of international investment into China and investment from China to foreign countries will face difficulties in 2020, even possibly sharply decline in the first quarter of 2020. The Covid-19 epidemic, if combined with geopolitical risks, trade war risks… also makes the global political, economic and social environment even more uncertain, promoting defensive psychology, shrinking, thus weakening investment motivation.

This is an opportunity for Vietnam to have policies to attract investors who are intending to narrow production in neighboring countries and invest in Vietnam. Investment promotion units should proactively work with foreign investors who have plans to invest in Vietnam to discuss, orient and unify the preliminary investment procedures.

Besides, in the long term, it is necessary to continue improving the investment and business environment, amending policies and strategies to attract foreign investment.