Vietnam is leading other Asian countries in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) with pledged capital tripling from 20.3 billion USD to 64 billion USD in 2008, said a UNCTAD report on world investment.

The United Nations Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTAD) also noted Vietnam ’s opening of its retail market since early this year and new tax policies aimed at turning poor provinces in the Mekong Delta with low-cost production centres.

The UNCTAD reported that last year the world saw a 21 percent FDI decrease, however, FDI influx to Asian and Oceanian countries fell by only 2.2 percent.

In Asia, FDI attraction decreased in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines while increasing in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.