The construction of a new Vietnam-Singapore industrial park kicked off in northern Vietnam’s Lang Son Province on Friday, making the facility the 16th of its kind in the country so far.

The Lang Son administration and the Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park and Township Development Joint Stock Company (VSIP JSC) conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the VSIP Lang Son project in the province’s Huu Lung District.

Located in an area of nearly 600 hectares, the project is expected to cost over VND6,361 billion (US$250 million), of which the investor VSIP JSC contributes over VND954 billion ($37.5 million), according to the Vietnam News Agency.

The project will be developed through three phases, with phase 1 covering 200 hectares and anticipated to come into operation by the third quarter of 2025.

Phases 2 and 3, to be developed in the remaining area, are scheduled to be completed in September 2026 and September 2027, respectively.

When all the three phases are operational, the new industrial park is expected to generate about 40,000 jobs, including those for youths and people of ethnic minorities in Lang Son.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Ho Tien Thieu emphasized that the industrial sector has long been determined as the driving force of the local economic growth and development.

Thieu requested that all relevant agencies create the most possible favorable conditions for the project’s investors to speed up the construction progress.

The province’s leader also asked the investors, consulting units, and contractors of the project to strictly comply with relevant regulations and standards to ensure construction quality and industrial safety and hygiene.

He directed Huu Lung District authorities to accelerate site clearance and support residents subject to relocation due to the project through effectively applying related policies and regimes.

The leader also called on involved local people to support the implementation of the project through handing land over to the investor timely and smoothly.

Speaking at the ceremony, Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam Jaya Ratnam emphasized that Vietnam-Singapore industrial parks serve as a symbol of the fruitful bilateral relations between the two countries.

The expansion of the chain of VSIPs in Vietnam is unprecedented in recent years, reflecting not only the strong interest of foreign investors in the country but also the success of the Vietnamese government in its efforts to create an increasingly favorable investment environment.

The ambassador expressed his hope that VSIP Lang Son will play a central role in encouraging and facilitating high-quality investments from Singapore, especially in infrastructure development, supply chain services and logistics, green economy, farm produce processing.

The Singapore Business Federation will work with the provincial authorities to explore opportunities for Singaporean investors in these areas, he added.