The King attended the grand opening of the new headquarters of the Deep C eco-industrial zone in northeast Vietnam on Wednesday morning, featuring the traditional dragons and confetti.
The joint venture between CFE and Ackermans & Van Haaren has been developing since 1997, now covering 3,400 hectares in the Hai Phong and Quang Ninh provinces.
This is the largest investment by Belgian companies in Vietnam, significantly boosting the local economy and serving as a prime example to attract more Belgian investors. The King highlighted this during his meetings with Vietnamese authorities in Hanoi on Tuesday.
Deep C represents a total investment of over half a billion dollars through a Hong Kong-based holding. CEO of Deep C, Bruno Jaspaert, stated that since 1997, the zone has expanded into five industrial parks, attracting over 170 investment projects worth over $8 billion.
The investment has directly and indirectly created approximately 20,000 jobs for the local population.
In addition to industrial parks, Deep C offers a range of services to businesses, including water distribution, wastewater treatment, waste management, and warehouse rentals.
'Gateway to South East Asia'
Moreover, it provides locally generated electricity at prices more competitive than neighbouring China, further incentivising companies to establish themselves in Deep C's strategically located port areas.
Following his meeting with the local Communist Party leader, the King expressed pride in Belgian companies' contributions to the region's rapid economic growth.
Reflecting on his first visit to Hai Phong in 1994, he hopes the state visit will encourage more Belgian businesses to invest in Vietnam, particularly in Hai Phong, which he described as the "gateway to South East Asia."
