At the Navigatec New Materials Vietnam Co., Ltd., Hải Phòng Economic Zone. — VNA/VNS Photo

HẢI PHÒNG — With the philosophy that investors' success is its success, the northern port city of Hải Phòng has been fostering a favourable investment environment while also developing social and cultural elements that make the northern port city feel like home for foreign investors and experts.

Currently, Hải Phòng hosts over 1,000 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects from investors across 40 countries and territories. The city is home to approximately 5,000 people from the RoK, along with residents from Japan, China, Belgium, the Netherlands, and other nations.

Bruno Jaspaert, CEO of the Deep C Industrial Zones, has spent over seven years living and working in Hải Phòng. Despite being born and raised in Belgium, he proudly considers himself a local resident fully embracing life in the port city.

Driven by his affection, Jaspaert introduced the Belgian Culture and Culinary Festival (B.Fest) to Hải Phòng, strengthening ties between Việt Nam and Belgium. Meanwhile, Deep C, a pioneering industrial park embracing eco-friendly and sustainable development, has been actively contributing to the city’s economic and social progress.

At a meeting between leaders of Deep C Industrial Zone and Hải Phòng’s officials. — VNA/VNS Photo

Other foreign investors also praise Hải Phòng for its convenient transport, good healthcare and education services, and stable business environment, making it an ideal place to live and work.

Ogata Haruhisa, General Director of Kyocera Document Technology Vietnam Company Limited, based in the Việt Nam Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) in Thủy Nguyên district, highlighted the stable investment climate of Việt Nam and Hải Phòng. He also announced that Kyocera sees value in shifting its manufacturing operations to Việt Nam.

According to Lê Trung Kiên, Head of the Hải Phòng Economic Zone Authority (HEZA), the city is considering granting honorary citizenship to investors, allowing them to enjoy exclusive incentives. This initiative is currently being piloted for the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s SK Group experts, who already benefit from priority lanes at the city-based Cát Bi International Airport.

Since late 2024, FDI enterprises in Hải Phòng’s industrial parks, who established their Party cells, have displayed plaques featuring the Vietnamese national flag, the Communist Party of Việt Nam’s flag, and content on their commitment to national development and workers' rights.

Additionally, the HEZA, in collaboration with the municipal Military Command, has set up 23 self-defence teams within enterprises across local industrial and economic zones. These teams play a crucial role in ensuring security and order, reinforcing Hải Phòng’s position as a model city for national defence and military cooperation.

Trần Kim Phương, HR Director and Secretary of the Party Cell at Jasan Vietnam Co Ltd – a Hong Kong-invested company at VSIP Thủy Nguyên with 3,200 employees, underscored the importance of the in-house military command units. They help address security issues in real-time, reducing dependence on external law enforcement forces.

Last year, Hải Phòng saw the establishment of the Việt Nam-China and the Việt Nam-RoK business clubs, aiming to strengthen cooperation between Vietnamese enterprises and their Chinese and South Korean counterparts. According to recent figures, Chinese investors (excluding those from Taiwan and Hong Kong) currently operate 245 projects in the port city, generating an average annual export revenue of US$3.85 billion. Meanwhile, the RoK ranks first in investment capital ($14.1 billion) and second in project numbers (185 projects) among the 40 countries and territories investing Hải Phòng. — VNS