Hai Phong at the Vanguard: Securing Over USD 15.6 Billion in Investment and Emerging as a Strategic Destination of a New Era

In mid‑July 2025, during the fringes of the third APEC Business Advisory Council meeting (ABAC III), Hai Phong City hosted an investment promotion conference under the banner “Hai Phong – A Strategic Destination for the New Era”. The event delivered a powerful signal: the city secured investment commitments totaling more than USD 15.6 billion through the signing of 32 investment certificates and seven memorandums of understanding (MOUs), marking a historic milestone immediately following its administrative merger with Hải Dương Province.

A Record‑Breaking Outcome and the Scope of Investment

At the July 15 conference, Hai Phong awarded investment certificates to 32 new projects and executed seven MOUs, cumulatively valued at more than USD 15.6 billion. Among those, infrastructure for industrial parks—including Tan Trao, Ngu Phuc, Thuy Nguyen, Tran Duong – Hoa Binh, Kim Thanh 2, Hoang Dieu, Binh Giang, and Tien Lang Airport zones—accounts for nearly USD 10 billion, laying the groundwork for modern high‑tech clusters and generating tens of thousands of jobs.

In the seaport and logistics domain, nearly USD 1 billion is earmarked for berths 9, 10, 11, and 12 at Lach Huyen deep-water port, reinforcing Hai Phong’s role as Vietnam’s premier logistics gateway. Meanwhile, around USD 5 billion is directed toward high‑tech and urban development projects, including investments from global leaders such as Shin‑Etsu and Hyundai Kefico, as well as green logistics initiatives and smart city infrastructure.

Strategic Vision and Institutional Reform

This surge in investment follows transformative institutional developments. On June 27, 2025, the National Assembly ratified Resolution 226/2025/QH15, pilot implementation of special mechanisms and policies to elevate Hai Phong’s development trajectory. These include corporate tax incentives, long‑term residency privileges for foreign experts, streamlined administrative procedures, and the creation of a free trade zone.

Leaders emphasized that those reforms are substantive, not symbolic—Hai Phong commits to an institutional environment that delivers transparent, predictable, and high‑value investment conditions, signaling ambition to establish the city as the leading growth pole of the Red River Delta.

Global Endorsement and Regional Engagement

The investment event attracted more than 1,000 delegates, including approximately 250 business leaders and public officials from APEC economies, and national-level dignitaries including President Luong Cuong and Vice‑Chair of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai. The presence of diplomats and enterprise heads from the United States, Germany, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and others, underscored international confidence in Hai Phong’s future.

Project Profiles and Sectoral Focus

The collective portfolio of projects reveals strategic sector priorities:

• Industrial parks infrastructure: Nearly USD 10 billion dedicated to new or upgraded zones such as Tan Trao, Thuy Nguyen, Kim Thanh 2, and Tien Lang Airport, many built to high‑tech, eco‑industrial standards.
• Seaport‑logistics expansion: Investment in Lạch Huyện berths closes capability gaps, positioning Hai Phong as a competitive regional hub.
• High‑tech manufacturing and FDI: Global “eagles” like Shin‑Etsu’s rare-earth plant and Hyundai Kefico’s automotive parts complex demonstrate the deep‑value shift in project types.
• Urban infrastructure and smart city elements: Projects supporting transport networks, green logistics, and urban liveability round out the investment mix worth approximately USD 5 billion.

Institutional Momentum and Growth Drivers

Local leaders have pledged to enact rapid implementation of the resolutions and project approvals. The emphasis is on infrastructure as driver, human capital as enabler, and social welfare as fundamental for sustainable development. Streamlined administrative reform is aimed at removing delays and enhancing comfort for investors—government positions itself as a “partner” rather than overseer.

This institutional momentum complements existing asset strengths: Hai Phong’s strategic location, international deep-water port, growing labour pool, and transparent public-private engagement are frequently cited by investors such as LG Display and Trakmotive as decisive factors in their expansion decisions.

Implications for the New Era

This investment breakthrough immediately after Hai Phong’s territorial merger with Hải Dương (effective July 1, 2025) sends multiple messages:

• The city is ambitious and capable of rapid transformation.
• Infrastructure and industrial expansion are being systematically targeted.
• International investors trust the city’s institutional environment and long‑term vision.
• Hai Phong positions itself not just as a provincial center, but as a strategic economic hub in the Asia-Pacific, aligned with global supply chains.

Importantly, the free trade zone initiative and special policies underline that Hai Phong seeks not just volume, but a quality‑first, innovation‑led, globally integrated investment model.

Looking Ahead: Challenges and Next Steps

To translate these signed commitments into sustained development, the city must focus on execution:

• Completing port and industrial park infrastructure to global standards will be essential to onboarding second-tier investors.
• Developing ancillary industries, upskilling the labor force, and building resilience into industrial systems will require continuous public-private partnership.
• Transparent governance and timely follow-through on special policy mechanisms (e.g. tax incentives, visa provisions) will shape investor confidence beyond the headline figures.
• Realization of smart logistics, green manufacturing, and international-grade urban services will determine if Hai Phong fulfills its vision as a strategic destination of the new era.