Maintaining a firm position in an "uncertain" world .
At the discussion session "Maintaining a Strong Position in Global Movements" within the framework of the Vietnam Industrial Real Estate Forum 2025 (VIPF 2025), jointly organized by the Finance and Investment Newspaper and the Vietnam Industrial Real Estate Association (VIREA), held on the afternoon of October 29th in Ho Chi Minh City, Dr. Nguyen Cong Ai, Deputy General Director of KPMG (a company providing auditing, operational consulting, transaction consulting, tax and legal consulting services for businesses) Vietnam, emphasized: "The keyword this year is 'Uncertainty'. But it is precisely in this context that Vietnam has shown incredible adaptability."
According to Dr. Nguyen Cong Ai, while the world is facing geopolitical instability, changes in global minimum tax policies, and fragmentation in supply chains, Vietnam has still maintained a GDP growth rate of 8.23% in the third quarter of 2025 and 7.85% in the first nine months of the year, the highest in the ASEAN region. “This is the foundation of investor confidence, proving that Vietnam can maintain its development pace in a world full of uncertainty,” said Dr. Nguyen Cong Ai.
Ms. Tran Thi Hai Yen, Director of the Southern Investment Promotion Center (Foreign Investment Agency, Ministry of Planning and Investment), added that Vietnam currently ranks third in ASEAN in attracting positive FDI, after only Singapore and Indonesia. “Most importantly, Vietnam is asserting its position as a new star in the region thanks to its stable political environment, transparent investment environment, and clear government direction,” Ms. Hai Yen shared.
According to Ms. Yen, ASEAN countries are fiercely competing to attract high-tech capital, but Vietnam has distinct advantages: synchronously invested infrastructure, an early green transformation strategy, and rapid policy adaptability. Large projects such as Long Thanh International Airport, the North-South Expressway, and the ring roads of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are expanding industrial development space, making Vietnam a leading destination for capital restructuring in global supply chains.
Sharing the same view, Mr. Dinh Hoai Nam, Business Development Director of SAP Vietnam, believes that 2025 will be a test of investor confidence. When the US changed its tax policy, FDI flows experienced a significant lag, but the government's flexible response helped the market quickly stabilize. "We achieved an occupancy rate of over 90% in a year full of volatility, which shows that Vietnam remains the safest destination in Southeast Asia," Mr. Nam emphasized.
Mr. Nam also stated that what sets Vietnam apart is not just tax incentives, but its smart policy response. In the context of global minimum tax rates forcing many countries to adjust their incentives, Vietnam has shifted its focus to non-tax support: infrastructure investment, renewable energy, logistics, and high-quality human resources – sustainable factors that long-term investors value.
According to an exclusive report by JLL Vietnam, by Q3 2025, the country will have over 447 industrial parks with a total area of 134,600 hectares, of which more than 93,000 hectares are industrial land available for lease. The average occupancy rate reached over 73%, the highest in the past 5 years. Vietnam is attracting strong investment from China, South Korea, Japan, and Western corporations, especially in the semiconductor, electronics, clean energy, and logistics sectors, which have high added value.
Mr. Truong Gia Bao, Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Vietnam Industrial Real Estate Association (VIREA), also commented that the current wave of investment is merely a "short-term reaction" to the long-term shift in the supply chain. "We are entering a new cycle where investors are not just renting warehouses and factories, but are seeking long-term stability, integrated infrastructure, and consistent policies," Mr. Bao shared.
According to Mr. Bao, the key is that Vietnam is gradually shifting from a low-cost advantage to the capacity to create value and achieve sustainable development. While other countries in the region compete with tax incentives or cheap labor, Vietnam chooses to build trust and standardize ESG criteria, aiming for a green and responsible industrial model. This choice helps Vietnam not only stand firm in global trends but also become a strategic destination for high-quality FDI in the next decade.
Preparing for a wave of high-quality FDI.
Will Tran, Senior Director of Leasing at JLL Vietnam, commented that Vietnam is entering a "golden age" of attracting investment. International corporations now view Vietnam not only as a low-cost destination but also as a strategic partner in their global supply chains.
According to Will Tran, Vietnam is emerging thanks to three factors: its neutral position, rapid policy reform, and strong commitment to sustainable development. The rise of new-generation free trade agreements (CPTPP, EVFTA) along with the implementation of global minimum tariffs has helped Vietnam become a safe destination for major investors.
Notably, the trend of FDI enterprises reinvesting is becoming increasingly evident. Many corporations are expanding their factories in Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Binh Duong, and Long An. "When investors return to invest a second time, it proves that Vietnam has built long-term trust," Will Tran commented.
Furthermore, experts believe that the "key to retaining FDI" lies in the eco-industrial park model, an inevitable trend of green transformation. Mr. Truong Khac Nguyen Minh, Deputy General Director of Prodezi Long An, affirmed: "Traditional industrial parks must evolve into eco-industrial parks if they want to attract high-tech investors."
According to Mr. Minh, Prodezi is developing an eco-urban-industrial model in accordance with UNIDO standards and Circular 05/2023, with 25% green space, a solar energy system, and a circular wastewater recycling technology. This is considered one of the pioneering projects in Vietnam applying the industrial symbiosis model, where the waste of one enterprise becomes the input material for another.
Based on practical experience, Mr. Minh believes that many domestic businesses are ready to embrace green transformation, but lack a unified guidance framework and long-term support policies. Therefore, the formation of eco-industrial parks should not only be an effort of individual investors, but should be viewed as a national development direction.
Based on this, experts at the Forum proposed that Vietnam needs to enact a separate law on eco-industrial parks to create a solid legal basis for this sustainable development model. Along with that, the synchronized implementation of four important resolutions of the Politburo (Resolutions 57, 59, 66, and 68) is considered an institutional pillar, helping to shape the development framework for Vietnam's upcoming green growth cycle.
“We are living in an uncertain world, but Vietnam has found certainty in its own development vision,” Mr. Nguyen Cong Ai concluded. From uncertainty to confidence, Vietnam is gradually transforming from a low-cost manufacturing destination into a green, sustainable, and promising industrial hub in the global value chain.
To encourage sustainable development and spread the spirit of green business, the Organizing Committee of the Vietnam Industrial Real Estate Forum 2025 continues to implement the "For a Green Future - VIPF Green Future Awards" voting campaign in 2025.
This year's program has expanded its scope and updated its criteria with three award categories comprising six honorary awards: green industrial real estate developers, businesses with green transformation strategies, and businesses providing green industrial solutions. This year's new category targets businesses in the fields of technology, energy, materials, and green solutions in the workplace, contributing to the promotion of sustainable production.
The selection criteria were developed based on Decree 35/2022/ND-CP on eco-industrial parks, ESG standards, and current regulations on environmental protection and energy saving. The selection committee included representatives from the Finance - Investment Newspaper, VIREA, JLL, and independent experts in the field of circular economy.
According to the organizers, more than 50 businesses have submitted applications, demonstrating the program's growing appeal. The honored businesses will contribute to shaping a green, smart, and socially responsible industrial ecosystem, in line with Vietnam's green growth goals.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/bat-dong-san/bat-dong-san-cong-nghiep-viet-nam-giu-vung-vi-the-trong-chuyen-dong-toan-cau-20251029200141332.htm
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