Majority of FDI firms upbeat on Vietnam’s economic resilience: HSBC

About 53% of 880 corporate respondents are prioritizing growth in Vietnam over the next two years to capitalize on opportunities as the country has shown impressive economic resilience, the latest HSBC survey has found.

The report released Friday, titled Global Connections: Connecting Southeast Asia and the World, says that among respondents who have not yet established operations in Vietnam, 13% plan to enter the country in the next two years.

It says Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-based businesses are particularly interested, with almost one in five (19%) selecting Vietnam as a priority new market.

Many companies find Vietnam’s economic resilience an attractive feature. The country’s economy expanded 8% in 2022 as it emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic and benefited greatly from global supply chain diversification.

Other attractive features are Vietnam’s competitive wages and skilled workforce, reflecting the country’s appeal as a manufacturing base.

The report says 27% of respondents see Vietnam’s growing consumer market as an attractive proposition.

The country's growing digital economy (23%) is also a key selling point for international business expansion. Many respondents are attracted by the country’s high smartphone penetration rate and vibrant start-up sector.

The report says that Vietnam’s importance in global trade flows is reflected in the strong interest in free trade agreements. Overall, 63% of companies in the survey intend to make use of the EU-Vietnam Trade Agreement, which took effect in August 2020.

Cultural differences and regulatory developments are among the top challenges for foreign firms operating in Vietnam.

“Vietnam’s resilience, coupled with its hard working skilled work force and competitive cost structures, continues to attract strong FDI flows into the country,” the report quotes Tim Evans, CEO of HSBC Vietnam, as saying.

“Despite some short term headwinds, Vietnam remains an attractive destination for foreign businesses and we continue to see very strong interest in the Vietnam story from customers throughout the HSBC network.”