Investing
Localities roll up sleeves to spur investment progress
Published
2 months agoon
The government will continue using public investment as one of the largest drivers of economic growth this year.
Last week, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed Directive No.05/CT-TTg on solutions to encourage economic growth and accelerate public investment spending, to help ensure the country’s meets its economic growth target of 8 per cent or more in 2025.
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Localities roll up sleeves to spur investment progress |
“A prime focus must be placed on effectively implementing the resolutions and conclusions of the Party Central Committee, Politburo, National Assembly, and government, while effectively encouraging new mechanisms and regulations to immediately unleash resources,” the directive said.
One of the prime solutions to achieving the growth goal is to “boost public investment disbursement which will lead, activate, and attract all social resources”.
Authorities at all levels have been ordered to boost disbursement of public investment capital, striving for a disbursement rate in 2025 to reach at least 95 per cent of the plan assigned.
The government last week requested that all efforts be made to complete at least 3,000km of expressways and over 1,000km of coastal roads at the end of 2025.
In 2025, construction must be completed for the $16 billion Long Thanh International Airport in the southern province of Dong Nai; and for ports in the Lach Huyen area in the northern port city of Haiphong.
Also, Terminal 3 at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Terminal 2 of the Noi Bai International must be put into operation, while construction of the Lien Chieu port in the central city of Danang must be started, and investment procedures for constructing the Can Gio international seaport in Ho Chi Minh City must be completed.
“Discipline and order in public investment disbursement must be strengthened, with sanctions applied strictly according to the law to organisations and individuals who deliberately cause difficulties, obstruct, and slow down the progress of capital allocation, implementation and disbursement of public investment,” Directive 05 read.
This year, the government will also push forward construction progress of many other infrastructure works, such as the North-South Expressway component projects in the east; Hanoi’s Ring Road 4; Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 3, and various expressways and regional ports.
Furthermore, construction must be seen for a metro line or railway from the Long Thanh airport to the Tan Son Nhat airport; and an elevated railway line from Van Cao street to Lang Hoa Lac area in Hanoi.
Directive 05 is one of several documents released by the prime minister and government since early this year on speeding up public investment disbursement.
Growth driver
Total public investment for 2025 has been assigned by the National Assembly (NA) to be $36 billion, which is $3.37 billion higher than the initial plan. If this is disbursed effectively, it will help the economy hit its desired growth this year.
“Public investment as a fiscal stimulus measure should be prioritised because Vietnam still has fiscal room,” said Nguyen Ba Hung, principal country economist from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Vietnam. “Accelerating public investment disbursement can create more jobs and incomes, and help engage private investments. This would accordingly help domestic businesses to increase investment and consumption.”
The former Ministry of Planning and Investment calculated by that a rise of 1 per cent in public investment disbursement corresponds to a 0.058 per cent increase in GDP growth. Moreover, every $1 of disbursed public investment capital stimulates $1.61 of investment capital from the non-state sector.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has been tasked by the government to urgently complete a plan to allocate sources of increased central budget revenue in 2024, and complete a plan on issuing government bonds to supplement resources for key projects in Q1 of 2025.
The MoF reported to the government that as of February 28, the public investment disbursement is estimated to have reached about $2.42 billion or 7.23 per cent of the plan assigned by the prime minister – still lower than 7.32 per cent in the same period last year.
Up to 27 ministries and central agencies had yet to disburse, and 26 ministries and localities achieved a rate of below 5 per cent.
As of late February, over $3.1 billion failed to be allocated in details, accounting for 9.42 per cent of the plan assigned by the prime minister.
According to a recent study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), weak coordination between public investment and budget processes has resulted in slow and insufficient budget allocation. In recent years, it has been reported that central agencies received higher allocations than what they can initiate, while provinces received too little to meet their needs.
“The pressing challenge of the mismatch between allocated budgets and investment mandates often leads to inefficiencies and delays in implementation – funds may not be optimally directed towards identified priority areas, resulting in suboptimal resource utilisation,” the ADB said. “This limits progress and capital utilisation efficiency.”
Activity acceleration
On February 18, PM Chinh required authorities at all levels to urgently allocate in detail the entire state budget investment plan for 2025 in Q1 in accordance with regulations.
“If the budget fails to be completed by the end of Q1, the government will withdraw it to allocate to other projects that need capital to complete,” his telegram said.
The MoF also said that after March 31, it will report to the competent authority to reduce the state budget from weak performers, and transfer to ministries, central agencies, and localities that need to supplement the 2025 capital plan to arrange for important, urgent projects, strategic infrastructure projects with the ability to disburse.
Together with capital allocation, solutions to encourage disbursement were also highlighted by some localities.
“This year, Hanoi strives to disburse VND87 trillion ($3.48 billion) of planned capital, focusing on large transport infrastructure projects such as bridges and urban railways. Hanoi will also continue to review about 200 slow-paced projects,” said Tran Sy Thanh, Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee, at a meeting between the government and localities’ leaders nearly two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the northern city of Haiphong is also rolling up its sleeves to speed up the disbursement of public investment capital, including accelerating the implementation of the Lao Cai to Haiphong railway, which will pass through Hanoi. “Haiphong commits to contributing VND11 trillion ($440 million) to implement this initiative,” said Nguyen Van Tung, Chairman of Haiphong People’s Committee.
On February 19, the NA adopted a resolution on the investment policy of constructing this initiative, worth an initial $8.37 billion. The capital volume will be $6.23 billion for the 2026-2030, and $1.56 billion for 2031-2035. The investment capital will be nearly $16 million per km.
Meanwhile, Vo Tan Duc, Chairman of Dong Nai People’s Committee, said that the province’s public investment in 2025 is VND15.77 trillion ($630.8 million).
“We are making efforts in disbursement already, striving to disburse 95 per cent of the sum this year. We will prioritise the implementation of key projects, using public investment to pull in private funding,” Duc said at the meeting, referring to many key projects that Dong Nai has been trying to accelerate, such as the Long Thanh International Airport and Phuoc An port.
The ADB assessed that the government has implemented various policy measures to expedite public investment disbursement and enhance effective execution. These measures include many resolutions and directives focusing on different aspects of public investment disbursement.
Nguyen Van Thang, Minister of Finance
The government has boosted institutional reform, enhanced the investment and business environment; handled obstacles, and accelerated key infrastructure projects as well as new growth drivers. In addition to these results, there have also been some difficulties. Growth momentum has not had a clear breakthrough. Competition pressure has increased in both export and domestic markets. The economy’s ability to absorb capital is still weak, while institutions and laws are still considerable bottlenecks. Therefore, the Ministry of Finance has proposed some key activities. Regarding the management of fiscal and monetary policies to support growth, the ministry will submit the policies on exemption, reduction and extension of taxes, fees, and land rents before March 15. It will also complete the plan to issue government bonds to supplement investment resources for key infrastructure projects in the first quarter; synthesise and monitor the public investment disbursement scenarios of each ministry, sector, and locality every quarter; remove obstacles for key projects; and submit the handling mechanism for authorities with slow disbursement. The State Bank of Vietnam must resolutely implement solutions to reduce the lending interest rate, direct credit institutions to consider cutting down procedures and lending conditions, accelerate credit capital for projects and sectors that are driving forces of growth, and build credit packages for people under 35 years old to buy homes. Other solutions involve developing the domestic market and stimulating tourism. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has to accelerate trade promotion, support businesses to effectively exploit free trade agreements, and speed up negotiations and sign new ones. It must take appropriate trade defence solutions, provide information, and support businesses in anti-dumping lawsuits. Meanwhile, a duty-free port is being considered and built to enable Vietnam to become a major logistics centre and encourage the distribution of goods via digital platforms. Additionally, it is necessary to call for private investment and foreign investment, encourage new growth drivers, and stabilise the macroeconomy as well as the major balances of the economy. |
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Investing
Bac Giang International Logistics Centre launched
Published
15 hours agoon
April 27, 2025Bac Giang International Logistics Centre was launched on April 22 with an investment of $168 million, and is expected to become a crucial link in the global supply chain.
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Bac Giang International Logistics Centre launch |
Being invested by CNCTech Group, Dolphin Sea Air Services Corporation and Thien An Investment JSC, the logistics centre is located on National Highway 1A, which boasts first-class warehouse supply to meet the growing demand in the northern Vietnamese market.
Its strategic position within the golden economic triangle of Hanoi – Haiphong – Quang Ninh provides convenient connectivity to industrial zones and key logistics centres via national highways No.1A and No.37.
The centre is designed to meet growing demand for logistics infrastructure from businesses in Bac Giang and neighbouring provinces, positioning the area as a new node in northern Vietnam’s logistics network.
The project is a strategic product as a key component of the logistics spearhead in CNCTech Group’s industrial and logistics infrastructure ecosystem. It has been approved by the prime minister as a national level-II logistics centre, covering a planned area of 67 hectares.
At the launch ceremony, Chairman of Bac Giang People’s Committee Nguyen Viet Oanh said, “In recent years, the province’s socioeconomic development has made remarkable strides. Transportation, urban, industrial, and social infrastructure have been synchronously invested in and have yielded high efficiency. However, the province’s logistics service sector has not yet matched its potential, advantages, and socioeconomic development level. The logistics system remains fragmented, transportation costs are high, and trade delivery times are prolonged.”
Recognising this bottleneck, the local authorities have focused on directing the robust development of the logistics system, incorporating it into the provincial plan. This includes developing eight comprehensive logistics centres covering nearly 500ha, three inland container depots, and 33 inland waterway ports.
“Bac Giang, with its strategic location between Hanoi and border provinces, has long been known as a dynamic industrial hub. The remarkable development of the province’s industrial parks has created a solid foundation for the establishment of Bac Giang International Logistics Centre. This centre is not only located on vital transportation routes such as Hanoi-Lang Son Expressway but also directly connects to major border gates, optimising the transport of goods from Bac Giang to the world,” said Oanh.
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A model of the logistics centre |
The project is not merely a warehousing facility, but also a symbol of the integration of modern infrastructure and advanced technology. The centre includes multifunctional warehouse areas, customs-controlled warehouses, non-tariff warehouses, and automated warehouses, meeting the needs of various industries. Notably, it integrates end-to-end logistics solutions, supporting businesses in optimising transportation costs and enhancing production efficiency.
With a long-term vision, the centre aims not only to optimise domestic supply chains but also to become a key connection point in the global logistics network.
Nguyen Van Hung, chairman of the Board of Members of CNC Tech Group, shared, “The establishment of this centre is a strategic step in developing Vietnam’s logistics infrastructure. We are committed to long-term and robust investment in this sector, as logistics is not just infrastructure but an indispensable part of enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese businesses on the international stage.”
Vietnam has taken strong action to promote green development among businesses, amid the country facing challenges in finance and technology.
Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam told the fourth Summit of the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G), organised last week in Hanoi, that Vietnam is focused on strategic breakthroughs to prepare for a national development process that is fast, inclusive, and sustainable.
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The summit in Hanoi covered areas from finance and banking to agriculture and technology Photo: Dung Minh |
“We will strongly transform political commitments into practical actions, creating motivation for businesses and the whole society to participate in sustainable economic development, in which green institutions are the decisive foundation,” General Secretary Lam stressed at a hall attended by government leaders, UN representatives, diplomats, experts, and entrepreneurs.
General Secretary Lam also stressed that when it comes to green transformation, despite being a developing country with a transitional economy and limited resources, Vietnam has achieved some important results.
Besides making a 2050 net-zero commitment in 2021, Vietnam also endorsed six global initiatives at the time, on forest and land use, methane, clean power transition, sustainable food and agriculture, and more.
“Vietnam is now a leading country in supplying renewable energy in ASEAN, with wind and solar power capacity accounting for two-thirds of ASEAN’s total capacity,” he said.
“Additionally, Vietnam is also a good example of encouraging sustainable agriculture. The initiative to develop one million hectares of high-quality and low-emission specialised rice is a pioneering model that many partners and international organisations are interested in.”
A greener future
Vietnam is an active and responsible member of all multilateral mechanisms and major initiatives on green growth and energy transition such as the Paris Agreement on climate change, the Just Energy Transition Partnership, and the P4G.
“However, as a developing country with a transitional economy, we also face many challenges in terms of financial resources, technology, personnel, and resilience to the impacts of climate change and geopolitical fluctuations globally,” said General Secretary Lam.
The summit adopted the Hanoi Declaration, strongly affirming commitments to sustainable growth with people at the centre, and a determination to collaborate responsibly in addressing current global challenges. Vietnam is expected to enjoy continued support from the international community in its journey to a green economy including energy transition.
According to the World Bank, to ensure sufficient funding for responding to climate change, mobilising domestic finance is possible, but external support is needed.
Overall, Vietnam’s total incremental financing needs for the resilient and decarbonising pathways could reach $368 billion over 2022–2040, or approximately 6.8 per cent of GDP per year.
The resilient pathway alone will account for about two-thirds of this amount, as substantial financing will be required to protect the country’s assets and infrastructure as well as vulnerable people.
The cost of the decarbonising pathway will mainly arise from the energy sector – investments in renewables and managing the transition away from coal might cost around $64 billion between 2022 and 2040. All the figures are in net present value terms at a discount rate of 6 per cent.
This $368 billion in financing needs will include $184 billion from private investments or about 3.4 per cent of GDP annually, $130 billion or about 2.4 per cent of GDP annually from the state budget; and $54 billion or about 1 per cent of GDP per year from external sources.
Choi Youngsam, South Korean Ambassador to Vietnam, said that within the P4G framework, South Korea and Vietnam have completed or are currently implementing joint projects in areas such as food and agriculture, energy, water, and urban development.
“Looking ahead, both sides are expected to broaden and deepen their partnership under the P4G framework,” he said.
At the P4G Summit held in Seoul in May 2021, the two governments signed the Framework Agreement on Cooperation in Response to Climate Change, laying a solid policy foundation for the implementation of international emissions reduction ventures.
“On this basis, I hope that South Korea will leverage its technological expertise and financial resources to carry out greenhouse gas emission reduction projects in Vietnam, with both countries mutually recognising the results,” Ambassador Youngsam said.
“This would contribute to establishing a win-win model of emissions reduction cooperation. At the same time, I look forward to seeing active engagement from South Korean enterprises possessing green technologies, in close collaboration with the Vietnamese government.”
Encouraging developments
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh said at a policy dialogue on the sidelines of the P4G 2025 that the active participation and strong cooperation from stakeholders – from the public and private sectors to international organisations – can help materialise Vietnam’s aspiration of an efficient and sustainable innovative startup ecosystem.
“Innovation, creative entrepreneurship and collaboration are key to solving environmental problems, while encouraging the development of a circular economy,” he said.
Vietnam currently has over 4,000 innovative startups, including two unicorns valued at over $1 billion, 11 companies valued at over $100 million, more than 1,400 startup support organisations, 202 co-working spaces, 208 investment funds, and 35 business promotion organisations. Among these, it is estimated that around 200–300 companies focus on green transition, covering areas such as renewable energy, environmental technology, sustainable agriculture, and the circular economy.
According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosting the fourth P4G Conference is of great significance to Vietnam. It is aimed to boost its role as a good friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of P4G and the international community. Moreover, it is also aimed to reaffirm its commitment to sustainable development, energy transition, and the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Besides that, it is aimed at contributing to raising awareness of international cooperation and encouraging the role and voice of developing countries in the sector of green growth and sustainable development.
Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister
For Vietnam, together with digital transformation, we identify green transition as an objective necessity, a key factor, and a breakthrough driving force to promote rapid growth and sustainable development. This aligns with the strategic goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and a developed, high-income country by 2045, while also contributing to the gradual realisation of Vietnam’s commitment at COP26 to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. From practical experience with initial positive results, especially in renewable energy, green agricultural development, and participation in multilateral mechanisms and initiatives on green transformation, as the host of the fourth P4G Summit, Vietnam has three suggestions for discussions which pave the way for further cooperation in the coming time. First is to perfect green mindset, with a focus placed on the development of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation linked to green growth. This includes recognising that green resources stem from green thinking, green growth is driven by green transition, and green resources arises from the green awareness of people and businesses in nations and regions throughout the world. Second is to build a responsible green community, in which, the government plays a guiding role, encouraging, and ensuring a stable and favourable institutional environment for green growth. The private sector functions as a core investor into technological development and the dissemination of green standards. The scientific community take the lead in developing green technologies and training green human resources. Meanwhile, citizens continuously enhance their green awareness, truly becoming beneficiaries of the outcomes of green transformation. Thirdly, it is necessary to promote international cooperation and robust multilateral green cooperation models, particularly public-private partnerships, South-South cooperation, North-South cooperation, and multilateral cooperation frameworks. This is aimed at removing institutional barriers, enhancing access, and speeding up the flow of green capital, green technology, and green governance. Developed countries should take the lead in fulfilling commitments to provide financial, technological, and institutional reform support. Meanwhile, developing countries would need to leverage their internal strengths and effectively utilise external resources. |
Investing
Public-private partnerships a lever for greener innovation
Published
23 hours agoon
April 26, 2025Public-private partnerships are no longer a supporting mechanism, but a strategic pillar in the global pursuit of the green transition.
The high-level dialogue between government leaders and businesses at the 2025 P4G Vietnam Summit last week, chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, brought together senior officials, global experts, international organisations, and private sector leaders.
They recognised that the climate crisis, digital transformation, and resource depletion are converging in ways that demand not only innovation, but deep and long-term collaboration between the public and private sectors.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed acknowledged Vietnam’s leadership in renewable energy, noting its potential to attract trillions in sustainable investment.
“Emerging economies must accelerate the adoption of new investment models, particularly those that align private capital with green infrastructure priorities. Governments must work with the private sector to expand ambition, strengthen accountability, and deliver real impact,” she said.
From Italy, Prime Minister’s Climate Envoy Francesco Corvaro stressed that public-private partnerships (PPPs) are indispensable in addressing climate finance gaps. Drawing from Italy’s experience, he underscored the importance of public investment as a risk mitigator, enabling private sector participation in clean energy and smart infrastructure projects.
“Public investment can unlock private capital, but local authorities must lead with clear priorities and long-term vision,” Corvaro noted. “You can’t talk about renewables, AI, or digital infrastructure without modern, resilient grids, and that requires strong public-private alignment.” he said
Alejandro Dorado, Spain’s High Commissioner for Circular Economy, argued that the case for stronger PPPs lies at the intersection of two accelerating forces: the environmental-climate crisis and a wave of disruptive technologies.
“In a world where AI, green technologies, and digitalisation are reshaping the global economy, the clock is ticking. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we have less than a decade to prevent irreversible climate disaster. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum has identified biodiversity loss as one of the most severe economic risks,” he said.
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Dorado added that while multilateralism is being questioned or weakened in some quarters, the need for cooperation has never been more urgent – both to solve environmental challenges and to harness the transformative potential of innovation.
“No government or business can tackle these crises alone. Public authorities must provide the regulatory frameworks, fiscal incentives, and infrastructure deployment needed at scale to safeguard the common good,” he stressed.
From the business side, Stuart Livesey, country representative of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), provided a frank but optimistic outlook. Livesey stated CIP’s commitment to supporting Vietnam’s transition, but emphasised the need for enabling conditions.
“What we seek are clear, bankable projects underpinned by stable regulatory frameworks, collaborating with strong local partnerships. This is where public-private cooperation becomes not just helpful, but essential,” Livesey noted. “Over the next 10-15 years, the offshore wind sector and green energy consumers will trigger massive demand for new technologies, digital solutions, and skilled labour.”
To meet this demand, CIP is investing not only in infrastructure, but also in capacity building, research and development, and local supply chain development through partnerships with Vietnamese universities.
Still, he acknowledged barriers. “Technological application and innovation in green projects face challenges, from long-term financing constraints and skilled labour shortages to fragmented policy signals. These are not unique to Vietnam, but they require proactive, tailored local solutions,” he said. “Addressing issues such as grid availability, regulatory clarity, and inter-ministerial coordination will be critical.”
Tim Evans, CEO of HSBC Vietnam, stated that the banking sector is ready to facilitate green finance, particularly in sectors aligned with national climate targets.
“We see ourselves as a bridge between global capital and local sustainability goals. The clearer the pipeline of bankable, climate-aligned projects, the faster we can move capital,” he noted. “What’s crucial now is consistency in policy and coordination among stakeholders to ensure these projects reach maturity.”

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