In the first 11 months of this year, total foreign direct investment (FDI) in new industrial and economic zones increased by US$8.3 billion, according to the Department for Economic Zones Management under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Industrial parks and economic zones registered for 560 new FDI projects with total investment capital of over $5.3 billion and increased capital for nearly 500 FDI projects with a total investment of more than $3 billion.

By the end of November, industrial and economic zones had attracted a total of about 7,500 domestic investment projects with a total registered capital of nearly VND970 trillion (US$41.45 billion) and about 8,000 FDI projects with a total registered capital of over $145 billion.

To date, 326 industrial zones have been established with a total area of 93,000 hectares, of which 64,000ha is industrial land, accounting for 68 per cent of the total area.

Of the established industrial zones, 249 are in operation with a total natural land area of 68,000ha and 77 are in the compensation phase for ground clearance and basic construction with a total area of 25,000ha. The occupancy rate of the operating industrial zones has reached 73 per cent.

By the end of November, 17 coastal economic zones were established with a total land and water area of more than 845,000ha. In addition, Ninh Co Economic Zone in the northern province of Nam Dinh was included in the planning of economic zones but has not yet been established. — VNS