Asia's 5 Best Countries For Foreign Investors

[Vanhelsing]

Malaysia’s scheduled announcement Friday of economic growth that's forecast at 4.6% in the first quarter this year would reflect stronger shipments of integrated circuits thanks to improved global demand for high-tech goods as a well as more palm oil exports following a supply shortage. But there’s more. The well-off Southeast Asian country of 31 million people is often cited as one of the best places in Asia for foreign direct investment. Other Asian countries may miss that honor because of their costs of land and labor. Some, Japan for example, have a reputation for protectionist policies. Developing countries such as Cambodia lack transport infrastructure.

1. Malaysia

The country is one of the top recipients of foreign direct investment, reflected by an outsized 64% increase in foreign capital last year compared to 2015.

2. Singapore

This modern city-state of 5.8 million people will cost you a bit, but it takes a free-port approach to inbound investment. The Southeast Asian financial hub lacks the corruption of other parts of Asia, meaning rules are enforced for rules’ sake. Foreign investors need not enter joint ventures.

3. Vietnam

Low land prices and minimum wages of just a couple dollars per day plus economic growth that looks to foreign factory investment equal keen interest among producers of an ever-widening range of stuff. Among the investors are Ford Motor, Intel and Samsung Electronics. Investors said in a 2010 survey they like Vietnam for the stability of its Communist regime, the consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers says.

4. Indonesia

Political stability of the world’s fourth largest country has also helped attract foreign capital, including a nearly 1% year-on-year increase in the first quarter of 2017. The archipelago of more than 10,000 islands comes with its own minerals as well as officials who the Asian Development Bank said this year "continue to announce policy reforms intended to ease red tape."

5. India

Low wages and a young population -- half of the 1.25 billion people are between ages 20 and 59 -- put India on the board for a lot of would-be investors. The government’s focus since an economic crisis in 1991 to liberalize industries has steadily attracted a range of foreign firms to a nation that’s now growing around 7% per year.

Full article https://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphj...countries-for-foreign-investors/#1b7c499841b4