Vietnam to lure biggest-ever FDI in first half

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HANOI, June 16 (Xinhua): Vietnam will attract over 23 billion US dollars of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first half of this year, the biggest-ever amount in a year, local newspaper Youth today quoted a local investment official as saying.

"We will license some five major FDI projects, including one on building an oil refinery worth 6 billion dollars from now to the end of June. Investment in technology is increasing," said Phan Huu Thang, head of the foreign investment agency under the ministry of planning and investment.

Vietnam will lure considerable amounts of FDI from North America, Europe and Japan in the coming time although its macro economy is facing temporary difficulty, he said, noting that many Japanese investors are interested in the local high technology sector.