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Removing legal barriers for eco-industrial park development

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22 hours ago

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By 2030, 40-50 per cent of localities will have plans to convert existing industrial parks into eco-industrial parks, while 8-10 per cent of localities are determined to build new eco-industrial parks to attract investment.

According to data from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, by the end of 2023, the country had 416 industrial parks established, including four export processing zones, with a total natural land area of ​​about 129,900 hectares and a total industrial land area of ​​about 89,200 hectares.

Up to now, the system of industrial parks has been present in 61 out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide, becoming a key area attracting domestic and foreign investment projects and a destination for many leading world corporations.

In the new development trend, economic organisation models by territory are changing in development goals, and Vietnam is no exception.

At the same time, towards sustainable development, the requirement to build green industrial parks and convert existing industrial parks into ecological industrial parks is becoming an urgent need to adapt to development requirements.

An assessment report by the Ministry of Planning and Investment shows that in over 30 years of forming and developing industrial zones in Vietnam, up to now, the development of industrial zones in width is facing difficulties due to the limited resources of labour, land, and resources. Labour productivity and resource exploitation efficiency are low, not ensuring harmony between economic development, environmental protection and social security.

This process also faces difficulties as tax and land incentives are gradually decreasing. The linkage and cooperation in industrial production in industrial zones and economic zones are still limited.

According to the plan, by 2030, 40-50 per cent of localities will have plans to convert existing industrial parks into eco-industrial parks, while 8-10 per cent of localities are determined to build new eco-industrial parks to attract investment.

A survey by the Institute for International Investment Studies (ISC) shows that the demand for attracting investment capital to fill the remaining area of ​​Vietnam’s planned industrial parks is about 600-650 billion USD. The total investment capital for infrastructure development and filling industrial parks is about 650-700 billion USD.

In addition, the demand for investment capital for technological innovation in enterprises in industrial parks and restructuring and converting 293 existing industrial parks into ecological industrial parks, to realise the green growth target according to the commitment of the Vietnamese Government to the international community, is also very great.

According to the Vietnam Industrial Park Finance Association, the implementation time of an industrial park infrastructure investment project can last more than three years, even five years, because of many difficulties and obstacles in the legal framework and site clearance, especially investment in the model of new industrial parks and ecological industrial parks.

Dr Ngo Cong Thanh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Industrial Park Finance Association, said that attracting investment to develop economic zones and industrial parks is showing limitations that must be overcome.

The planning and development orientation of industrial parks and economic zones still lacks a comprehensive vision and long-term perspective. They are still spread out across administrative boundaries, lack industry and regional linkages, and the quality and efficiency of investment attraction have not met the requirements for in-depth development.

In addition, localities and investors developing infrastructure for domestic industrial parks still prioritise attracting investment to fill in, not paying attention to the industry structure, technology, and environmental and social factors of investment projects, so the efficiency of investment in developing industrial parks has not met the requirements.

On the other hand, due to limited financial capacity, investors in industrial park infrastructure still have the mentality of waiting to find secondary investors before investing in shared infrastructure in the industrial park while foreign investors want to have land and technical infrastructure immediately before deciding to invest. This is one of the reasons why many industrial parks have low occupancy rates.

To mobilise large capital sources for investment in industrial parks and economic zones in the coming time, Dr Ngo Cong Thanh said there should be fundamental changes in attracting capital flows, creating conditions for investors to easily access production factors and innovate investment promotion activities.

In addition, legal issues regarding the formation and development of ecological industrial parks, and converting existing industrial parks into ecological industrial parks, need to be legalised or specifically guided, encouraging investors to participate in developing industrial park infrastructure.

Every year, the amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) in industrial parks and economic zones accounts for 60-70% of the FDI capital attracted nationwide, and this rate is still on the rise. This shows that industrial parks play a very important role in foreign investment cooperation activities in Vietnam. The trend of foreign investment in Vietnam in the coming time will focus mainly on industrial parks and economic zones.

Dr Phan Huu Thang, Chairman of the Vietnam Industrial Park Finance Association

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US giant Wanek Furniture to expand production capacity in Vietnam by 30% over 5 years

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3 minutes ago

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March 17, 2025

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Wanek Furniture Co., Ltd., a leading wood producer in the U.S., plans to expand its production capacity in Vietnam by 30% over the next five years, said Lien Andrew Michael, its vice president and general director of Asian factories.

At a meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung in Hanoi on Thursday, Michael stated that Wanek Furniture, a 100% US-invested subsidiary of Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc., has invested more than $200 million in Vietnam since 2008, with factories in the southern province of Binh Duong and the central province of Quang Ngai.

The company is now employing about 16,000 Vietnamese workers, he said, adding that its products have been shipped to 48 countries worldwide.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung and Lien Andrew Michael, Wanek Furniture's vice president and general director of Asian factories, in their meeting in Hanoi on March 13,2025. Photo curtesy of the government's news portal.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung and Lien Andrew Michael, Wanek Furniture’s vice president and general director of Asian factories, in their meeting in Hanoi on March 13,2025. Photo curtesy of the government’s news portal.

Dung welcomed Wanek’s plan to expand investment in Vietnam in the next five years. He affirmed that Vietnam will continue to improve its institutional framework and create favorable conditions for foreign investors, including those from the U.S., to engage in sustainable and long-term business operations in the country.

The Deputy PM urged the American firm to enhance cooperation with Vietnamese businesses to help Vietnam integrate more deeply into the global value chain.

He suggested Wanek continue to exchange information and coordinate with Vietnamese authorities to manage risks arising from the U.S.’s new trade policies.

“Wanek and the American business community should raise their voices to encourage the U.S. government to continue promoting relations with Vietnam and to minimize policies that could negatively impact the bilateral investment and trade ties,” Dung noted.

Appreciating Wanek’s contributions to the socio-economic development of Vietnam and the Vietnam-U.S. relationship, the Deputy PM emphasized that the U.S. is one of Vietnam’s key strategic partners, especially in the areas of trade and investment.

He affirmed that Vietnam aims to maintain and develop a harmonious, sustainable, and mutually beneficial economic cooperation with the U.S.

“Vietnam is always ready to cooperate in reducing the trade deficit the U.S. is incurring by encouraging businesses to increase imports of goods from the U.S., such as aircraft, LNG, and agricultural products,” he stressed.

Dung also confirmed that Vietnam is willing to engage with U.S. authorities to enhance mutual understanding and jointly address issues of mutual concern, while also promoting negotiations for a bilateral agreement to reduce tariffs and facilitate trade cooperation.

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Developing eco-industrial parks to attract FDI

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1 hour ago

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March 17, 2025

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By 2030, about 40-50% of provinces and cities are expected to convert traditional industrial parks into eco-industrial parks, and 8-10% of localities will have plans to build new eco-industrial parks to plan and attract investment industries gradually.

In reality, industrial parks that develop sustainably are becoming the selection criteria for foreign investors with economic benefits and responsibility to the social community. In that flow, industrial parks in Vietnam face a trend of comprehensive transformation to retain investors and attract new investment projects, especially high-tech and large-scale projects.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment has just coordinated with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) to sign a project document on replicating the eco-industrial park approach to promote circular economy in Vietnam.

The project aims to promote the implementation of circular economy in enterprises in industrial parks, reduce the environmental impact of industrial production, and adapt to climate change.

Director of the Department of Economic Zones Management under the Ministry of Planning and Investment Le Thanh Quan said that since 2015, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and UNIDO have piloted the conversion of several traditional industrial parks into eco-industrial park models in four localities: Hai Phong, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dong Nai. In turn, 90 enterprises were supported with resource efficiency and cleaner production (RECP) solutions, and 429 out of 889 proposed solutions were implemented in Dinh Vu, Hoa Khanh, Hiep Phuoc, and Amata industrial parks.

RECP solutions helped enterprises reduce electricity consumption by 14,378 MWh/year, fossil fuel consumption by 264,127 GJ/year, water consumption by 278,690 m3/year, and greenhouse gas emissions by 55,663 tonnes of CO2 equivalent/year, bringing economic benefits to enterprises. Many industrial symbiosis and industrial-urban symbiosis solutions have been implemented, contributing to optimising waste reuse, concretising the implementation of circular economy, etc.

Currently, ecological industrial parks are becoming the selection criteria for foreign direct investment (FDI) with the goal of sustainable development, economic benefits and responsibility to the community and society. Many localities and industrial park infrastructure investors have identified that developing industrial parks according to a new model is an inevitable and urgent need to create sustainable competitive advantages.

Sharing at the recently held forum on comprehensive green solutions for industrial parks and investment promotion in Vinh Phuc Province, Chairman of Vinh Phuc Provincial People’s Committee Tran Duy Dong said that during the period of fluctuating global investment capital flows due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FDI capital in this locality was still higher than planned. From 2020 to now, Vinh Phuc has attracted an average of 500-600 million USD of FDI capital annually, the highest year reaching nearly 1 billion USD.

In just three years, from 2021 to 2023, Vinh Phuc’s investment attraction results exceeded the target set for the entire 2020-2025 term of 2 billion USD. This province also attracts high-quality investment flows from big brands such as Honda, Toyota, Piaggio and Daewoo.

According to the plan, by 2030, Vinh Phuc will have 28 industrial parks with an area of ​​about 4,800 hectares, in which priority is given to developing new industrial parks along key traffic routes such as the Hanoi-Lao Cai Expressway, Ring Road 4, Ring Road 5, etc.

In which, orienting investment to develop industrial parks to achieve high efficiency and towards sustainable development is one of the top urgent requirements.

According to economic experts, to successfully replicate the approach of eco-industrial parks to promote circular economy in Vietnam, it is necessary to develop a specific roadmap and implementation plan, continue improving mechanisms and policies, create favourable conditions for this transformation process, propose solutions for practical values and develop criteria to identify and register eco-industrial parks and eco-enterprises certification.

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LNG-fired power projects under Vietnam’s PDP VIII must operate in 2028

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2 hours ago

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March 17, 2025

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The Vietnamese government has asked relevant agencies to speed up the progress of LNG-fired power projects towards completion and operation in 2028, earlier than the deadline specified in the power development plan VIII (PDP VIII).

In a recent announcement on amending the PDP VIII, the government noted that for projects with problems, the Ministry of Industry and Trade must help to solve them or report to higher authorities for solutions.

Nhon Trach 3 LNG-fired power plant in Dong Nai province, southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of PV Power.

Nhon Trach 3 LNG-fired power plant in Dong Nai province, southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of PV Power.

Regarding those already having investors, including LNG Quang Ninh, LNG Thai Binh, LNG Quang Trach II, phase 1 of LNG Hai Lang, LNG Son My I and LNG Son My II, and LNG O Mon II III IV, the trade ministry must speed up the progress to operate them in 2028. 2028 is two years earlier than the deadline in PDP VIII.

For project without investors yet such as LNG Quynh Lap, LNG Nghi Son, and LNG Ca Na, relevant agencies must accelerate the progress to complete them in Q1/2028 at the latest.

The government also requested that under-construction power projects must complete the construction and enter operation in 2025. These include the Nhon Trach 3 and Nhon Trach 4 LNG-fired power, Nam Cum 4 hydropower, expanded Hoa Binh hydropower, Vung Ang II thermal power, and Quang Trach I thermal power plants.

In addition, it ordered amendments to PDP VIII must be approved on March 20 at the latest. Electricity sources as baseload of the system must exceed 50% of the total in the amended PDP VIII, with the increase in LNG-fired power making up for the decrease in coal-fired power, the government added.

Vietnam currently has only one operational LNG-fired power project – the Nhon Trach 3 and Nhon Trach 4 in the southern province of Dong Nai.

In its draft amendment to the power development plan VIII (PDP VIII), the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that Vietnam can import LNG from major exporters such as Australia, the United States, and Qatar. In the long term, the country can consider LNG imports from Russia and other Middle East nations.

According to the draft amendment to PDP VIII, the electricity sector is set to consume 10-11.8 billion cubic meters of imported LNG yearly until 2030, then 9-11 billion cubic meters yearly by 2045.

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