Nearly USD 17 billion in FDI flows into Vietnam’s High-Tech Parks

High-tech parks in Vietnam are increasingly establishing themselves as key hubs for technology investment and innovation development. Cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) in major high-tech parks has reached nearly USD 17 billion, laying the foundation for R&D activities, talent development, and the formation of high-tech ecosystems.

Currently, Vietnam has six high-tech parks nationwide, each with different scales and development orientations. These parks play a crucial role in attracting high-tech investment, promoting research and development (R&D), training skilled human resources, and incubating technology enterprises.

Saigon Hi-Tech Park is one of the most prominent models in Vietnam. Covering an area of 534.14 hectares, the park currently hosts 121 land-lease projects with total registered investment of USD 12.24 billion, equivalent to an average investment intensity of USD 20.96 million per hectare.

As of 2025, 112 projects are in operation, employing more than 52,000 workers. At certain points, exports from the park have accounted for up to 47% of Ho Chi Minh City’s total export value. The park has contributed approximately USD 1.7 billion to the state budget, while total disbursed investment has exceeded USD 6.3 billion. The city is currently implementing a plan to expand the park by around 200 hectares to meet future development demand.

Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park is another key high-tech center in Vietnam. To date, the park has attracted 109 projects with total registered investment exceeding VND 116 trillion (approximately USD 5 billion).

Hoa Lac has been planned with eight functional zones; however, some limitations remain in terms of R&D infrastructure, with around 80 laboratories currently in place. In addition, social and technical infrastructure, as well as linkages between research institutes, universities, and enterprises, still need to be further strengthened.

Beyond the operational parks, several new high-tech zones are being developed, focusing on advanced and strategic technologies.

For example, the Ha Nam Hi-Tech Park (now under Ninh Binh Province) covers 663.19 hectares and is oriented toward developing industries such as artificial intelligence, electronics and semiconductors, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials. The park is currently in the process of establishing its management board and calling for investment.

Hung Yen Hi-Tech Park (HINNOPOLIS) covers an area of approximately 496.1 hectares and is currently finalizing its planning framework and establishment documentation. The park is oriented toward a development model focused on technology mastery and decoding, pilot experimentation and production, human resource training, technology incubation, and the provision of technology-related services.

Meanwhile, Da Nang Hi-Tech Park, spanning 1,128 hectares, has been planned with six functional zones. The park aims to integrate education, research, production, and enterprise incubation, with the long-term objective of becoming a high-tech hub for Vietnam’s central region.

In the biotechnology sector, the Dong Nai Biotechnology Hi-Tech Park covers 207.8 hectares and is designed to support research, technology incubation, technology transfer, manufacturing, and training activities. However, the park’s master planning has yet to receive full approval.

Meanwhile, the Hanoi Biotechnology Hi-Tech Park spans 199.03 hectares, with total investment in infrastructure and land clearance estimated at approximately VND 5.9 trillion. According to the current roadmap, the park’s infrastructure is expected to be completed by 2029, focusing on R&D, manufacturing, biotechnology services, and technology incubation.

According to assessments by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam, three out of the country’s six high-tech parks have already demonstrated a clear role as key drivers for high-tech investment, attracting nearly USD 17 billion in cumulative FDI from major multinational corporations as well as domestic enterprises.

Relevant ministries and government agencies are also continuing to refine institutional frameworks and policy mechanisms to promote the development of high-tech parks in alignment with Vietnam’s strategic technology and industrial priorities.

Strengthening Policy and Institutional Frameworks for High-Tech Park Development

In recent years, planning and investment in both technical and social infrastructure within high-tech parks have continued to receive strong attention. Incentive mechanisms related to land use, taxation, investment, and R&D support have gradually been refined to enhance the attractiveness of Vietnam’s high-tech parks for advanced technology projects.

A key milestone was the National Assembly’s approval of the amended High Technology Law on December 10, 2025, consisting of six chapters and 27 articles. The revised law marks a shift in policy approach—from broad encouragement of high-tech development toward targeted investment and more substantive regulatory oversight.

Notably, the law introduces two new concepts: strategic technologies and strategic industries. These definitions provide a legal foundation for concentrating national resources on breakthrough technologies, mastering core technologies, and aligning technological development with national defense, security, and technological self-reliance objectives.

The law also introduces several mechanisms aimed at accelerating innovation. These include public–private partnership (PPP) models for developing high-tech infrastructure and technology-related activities, as well as regulatory sandbox mechanisms to pilot and test emerging technologies under controlled conditions.

Enterprises will be classified into strategic technology enterprises and other categories of high-tech enterprises, with incentive levels tied to localization ratios, R&D expenditure, and technological capabilities.

In addition, R&D incentive policies have been expanded, covering tax incentives, land-use benefits, access to shared laboratory facilities, human resource development, and support for technology decoding and mastery. Products related to strategic technologies will also receive priority in public procurement and government bidding processes.

These policies aim to encourage enterprises to make substantive investments in research and development, promote technology transfer, and limit preferential treatment for businesses engaged primarily in assembly operations.

The law also strengthens decentralization to local authorities in establishing, expanding, or adjusting high-tech parks, while linking such authority with responsibilities for land allocation, investment in connectivity infrastructure, and the development of high-tech ecosystems in line with new standards.

Towards R&D and Innovation Hubs

Despite notable progress, the development of high-tech parks in Vietnam still faces several limitations.

In many parks, the development model remains largely oriented toward manufacturing and assembly, rather than evolving into centers for research, development, and innovation. Linkages between enterprises and universities, research institutes, investment funds, and startup ecosystems also remain relatively weak.

In addition, land clearance and infrastructure development have progressed slowly in some parks, while several projects continue to face financing constraints and investment mechanism challenges. Infrastructure supporting advanced R&D activities remains limited, particularly international-standard laboratories and large-scale research centers.

Moreover, coordination among high-tech parks and between localities has yet to become fully synchronized. The ability to attract high-tech projects and highly skilled talent is still not as competitive as in some other countries in the region.

In the coming period, the development of high-tech parks will continue to be promoted through further institutional reforms and increased investment in research and innovation resources.

In particular, Hòa Lạc Hi-Tech Park and Saigon Hi-Tech Park will be prioritized for development into national-scale R&D and innovation centers. Plans also include the establishment of a network of national laboratories and satellite labs, technology incubation and transfer centers, as well as the planning of satellite high-tech urban areas.

At the same time, policies will seek to promote enterprise-driven research orders, encourage the creation of university spin-off companies, and develop technology exchanges, innovation centers, and industry clusters.

With these orientations, Vietnam’s high-tech parks are expected to evolve into key hubs for research, development, and innovation, contributing to enhanced national technological capabilities and knowledge- and technology-driven economic growth.

Theo Báo Điện tử Chính phủ

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