461 foreign invested projects licenced in 2001
Ha Noi, Dec. 26 (VNA) -- Viet Nam had by Dec. 20 granted licenses to an additional 461 foreign-invested projects with a combined capital of nearly USD 2.2 billion.
Of the licensed projects, 327 are involved in industry with a combined investment capital of more than USD 1.6 billion.
Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi were the localities drawing the biggest investment capital.
In addition, 210 working projects were added with more than USD 580 million, a year-on-year increase of 17 percent.
According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Netherlands has become the largest investor among 33 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam. The European country has five projects capitalized at more than USD 577.8 million in 2001. France ranks second with 10 projects, totalling more than USD 407 million; and Singapore, 20 projects valued at nearly USD 270.6 million.
This year, the foreign invested sector has up to USD 2.3 billion of investment capital disbursed (up 3 percent), gains a turnover of USD 7.4 billion (up 6 percent), an export value of USD 3.6 billion (up 9 percent), an import value increase of 8 percent and an increased employment of 5 percent.
Now Viet Nam has 3,044 valid foreign-invested projects with a total capital of USD 37.6 billion.
Of them, 1,499 projects worth USD 20.6 billion are operating; 769 others worth USD 11.1 billion are under construction; and the remainders, under administrative procedures. These projects are providing jobs for 399,000 local workers.--VNA
