1.             Overview:

Being one of Vietnam's only two national hi-tech parks and considered one of Ho Chi Minh City's five focal economic projects serving as the driving force for the city's development, Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) has received exceptional supports from both the central and local governments, as well as from other relevant state agencies. As a result, the Park has been authorized to offer the highest tax incentives and one-stop investment application service to investors.

By 2015, SHTP is to become a technology and science city that will greatly enhance the economic, technological, and intellectual base of Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern Economic Region of Vietnam and that will ultimately serve as a model for Vietnam technological innovation, intellectual capital development, and innovation economy.”

2.             Mission

·Create a business-oriented, financially and technologically favorable environment to attract foreign investment in high technologies.

·Enable Vietnam to “leapfrog” into strategic high-technology sectors.

·Enable the development/acceleration of the high-tech supporting sectors in Vietnam.

·Facilitate the transfer of technology to targeted industries and domestic companies.

·Enable the commercialization of science and technology.

·Accelerate and sustain the economic development of HCMC and the Southern Economic Region of Vietnam directly, and ultimately Vietnam.

3.             Strategic location:

·15 km northeast of downtown HCMC; 18 km from Tan Son Nhat Airport; 12 km from Saigon Port, in proximity to Tan Cang Port, Thi Vai port and Cat Lai port.

·In the center of the Focal Economic Region in the South of Vietnam, including HCMC and Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Long An, Ba Ria Vung Tau provinces.

·At the crossroad of main highways: National Highway No 1, and Trans Asia Belt Highway connecting HCMC to Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and Bangkok (Thailand).

·Proximity to 55 industrial zones and export processing zones surrounding HCMC and other major cities.

·Adjacent to HCMC National University with over 15,000 students in science and technology; close to Thu Duc Golf Course.

4.             Prioritized industries

·SHTP is focusing on calling for investment in four sectors of priority: (1) micro-electronics, information technology and telecommunications, (2) precision mechanics and automation. (3) biotechnology applied in agriculture, pharmaceuticals and the environment, and (4) nanotechnology, and new and advanced materials.

·Investment in SHTP can be in multiple forms, be it high-tech manufacturing, high-tech services (call centers, data centers, software development), research and development, incubation or training.

·Key tenants include Intel Corporation (US), Jabil Corporation (US), Nidec Corporation (Japan), Sonion A/S (Denmark) and FPT (Vietnam).

5.             Incentives:

·Corporate income tax (CIT) of zero per cent for the first four years, starting from die first profit making year, followed by nine years at 5 per cent and 1$ years at 10 per cent. CIT exemption and reduction of five years for investment expansion

·VAT and import duty exemption for: Equipment and machinery imported as fixed assets of projects and spare pans and components attached thereto;Construction materials imported to build the fixed assets for the project that arc not locally produced; Materials and supplies and specialized means of transport of more than 24 seats included in the techno-logical process of the project.

·VAT of zero per cent and export duty exemption for high-tech products.

·Similar personal income tax (PIT; for both local and foreign workers at projects operating in SHTP).

·Competitive fees: Eligible investors are entitled to competitive land, office and factory rentals and other utility fees compared with those at other industrial parks in the region.

·Soft incentives include:

-       Multiple entry visas for expatiates

-       One-stop investment application service

-       On-site and electronic customs clearance

6.             Contact

Saigon Hi-tech Park (SHTP):

·Address: D1 Saigon Hi-tech Park, Ha Noi Highway, Tan Phu Ward, District 9

·Tel: 84.8.37360293

·Fax:  84.8.37360292

·Email: shtp@hochiminhcity.gov.vn or info@shtpvn.org

·Website: http://shtp.hochiminhcity.gov.vn