Vietnam guarantees land access for foreign investors: minister

Vietnam is working on draft regulations to ensure land access and facilitating green growth and the circular economy for foreign investors, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Minh Ngan has asserted.

In response to questions from foreign businesses at a dialogue with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi on Monday, Ngan said that his ministry is advising the government and parliament to allow the extension of their land use rights when they expire.

This would help overseas firms to conduct long-term business in Vietnam, the deputy minister said, referring to the ongoing process to amend the Land Law 2013.

Under current legislation, foreign-invested projects are entitled to 50-year land use rights, and 70 years in special cases.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) is also working on proposals to expand foreign players’ land access, including transfer of land use rights, Ngan added.

Foreign investors are now allowed to transfer land use rights within industrial parks, clusters, and high-tech zones. Outside these areas, they need permission to lease land.

MONRE is also drafting changes to a government decree, allowing the reuse of treated wastewater at industrial parks.

At the dialogue, Bruno Jaspert, general director of the Deep C Industrial Zones, complained that his firm was capable of treating wastewater but unable to sell such product because of the outdated legal framework.

Regarding a call for renewed regulations on green growth and the circular economy, MONRE has been tasked to make amendments to the Laws of Mining, Water Resources, and Land, and the Strategy of Climate Change Response.

The ministry has submitted to the government for consideration recommendations that would allow foreign investors to conduct surveys and explore offshore wind power potential, Ngan said.