•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Investment Law 2025, which takes effect on 01/03/2026, is expected to continue creating favorable conditions for investors. However, officials said that during implementation there are still practical obstacles that need to be addressed to improve the efficiency of attracting and implementing investment projects.
On 25/03/2026, the Hai Phong Department of Finance held a domestic investment promotion conference to disseminate and guide investors on the Investment Law and the procedures for bidding to select investors for land-use projects.
Speaking at the conference, Mr. Nguyen Tien Hoan, Deputy Director of the Hai Phong Department of Finance, said Hai Phong has 267 urban, rural and housing projects with a total area of 696,439 hectares and total investment of over 4.7 quadrillion VND. Of these, 13 projects are located in economic zones or industrial parks, with an area of 708.82 hectares and total investment of 89,538 billion VND. The remaining 254 projects are outside economic zones and industrial parks, with an area of 695,730 hectares and total investment of about 4.62 quadrillion VND.
Mr. Hoan added that the city currently has 134 land plots approved by the City People’s Council in eight resolutions for land-use investment bidding across the city, including 66 projects in West Hai Phong and 68 projects in East Hai Phong.
Of the 134 plots, 78 are commercial housing projects (58.21%), 15 are social housing projects (11.19%), and 41 fall under specialized sectors (30.6%).
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Director of the Hai Phong Department of Finance, said that together with the special mechanism under Resolution 226/2025/QH15, the Investment Law 2025 continues to ease conditions for investors. He noted that the law narrows cases requiring investment policy approval, reduces business conditions, and simplifies administrative procedures by shifting the management method from pre-approval to post-approval, which can help enterprises be more proactive in business.
However, Mr. Tu said that implementation still faces practical issues. Some enterprises and investors have not updated in a timely manner to new regulations, creating obstacles in accessing and applying the updated rules. He also said that because the legal system is being revised with many new contents, time is needed for dissemination, guidance, and standardization of implementation.
For land-use projects specifically, he said procedures related to investment, land, and site clearance are broad in scope, involve many steps, and can extend timelines, potentially affecting project progress.
To address these issues, officials called for further reform in leadership, coordination, alignment, accountability in public service, and stronger substantive support and effective accompaniment for enterprises and investors.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Deputy Chief of the PPP Office at the Public Procurement Management Department, Ministry of Finance, explained that selecting investors for land-use projects includes land-use projects that require bidding under the Land Law and bidding under sector-specific law.
She said bidding to select investors for land-use projects is conducted under point a, clause 1, Article 126 of the Land Law 2024, including urban projects with mixed-use functions (new construction or urban renovation) and rural residential areas where provincial-level People’s Councils decide to assign land or lease land through bidding.
Ms. Ha also said that under point b, clause 1, Article 126 of the Land Law 2024, land-use investment projects where the state withdraws land must be bid under sector law. Examples include solid waste treatment facilities, water supply projects, markets, rest stops, and airport service facilities at airports.
In some cases, she noted that if two investors are interested, bidding may involve socialized investments in education, health, culture, sports, and environmental projects; social housing projects; renovation of old apartment buildings; housing for armed forces; horse/dog racing projects; and power infrastructure projects.
She further said that other cases fall under Article 79 of the Land Law and also follow sector-law bidding.
Ms. Ha guided that for an investment project to be subject to bidding, the land must be subject to land withdrawal under Article 79 and listed in provincial council decisions to implement land-use bidding. She also outlined the bidding process, including invitation for expressions of interest, open bidding, restricted bidding, evaluation and approval, contract signing, and the criteria for investor selection.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
