Vietnam is estimated to lure at least six billion U.S. dollars worth of foreign direct investment this year, up from 5.8 billion U.S. dollars last year, according to a local investment agency on Friday.

Vietnam is centering on perfecting related legal documents and policies, simplifying procedures, strengthening promotion, and forging economic ties with foreign countries, said the Foreign Investment Department under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The ministry will issue guidelines regarding investment mode diversification and preferential treatment in different fields, including high technology, seaport development and construction of apartments for workers, to well implement the Unified Investment Law slated for taking effect from July 1, and new policies on labor, construction and land management.

The ministry will also empower investment bureaus of localities and management boards of industrial parks nationwide to handle investment applications and related issues more actively in shorter time, the department said.

Vietnam is centering on intensifying investment promotion in such fields as new material and energy, information technology, infrastructure, tourism, education and healthcare, it added.

The ministry has recently worked out the list of 94 national key projects calling for foreign direct investment in the 2006- 2010 period. Capitalized at nearly 25.7 billion U.S. dollars, the projects mainly involve in infrastructure, high technology and industry development, the department noted.

Vietnam is pursuing joint initiatives and activities regarding investment and trade with other nations, including Japan, Singapore and South Korea, the department said.

Source: Xinhua