​US Businesses Plan $8 Billion Investment in Vietnam

US Businesses Plan $8 Billion Investment in Vietnam

美国企业计划在越南投资80亿美元

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　　By Gregory Stachel

　　30 January 2024

　　Fifteen American businesses, including semiconductor companies, have expressed interest in investing $8 billion in Vietnam in clean energy projects, a senior U.S. official said recently.

　　However, their interest depends on the country's progress on renewable energy rules.

　　Vietnam is seeking to bring in computer chip companies. And it wants to build up its renewable energy industries. But it has so far struggled to pass rules that would permit the expansion of renewable energy industries. Those industries include solar and onshore wind and the development of offshore wind farms, of which it has none now.

　　Jose Fernandez is an undersecretary for economic growth at the U.S. State Department. When asked if U.S. companies want to invest in Vietnam, he told reporters in Hanoi last Friday, "They are prepared to invest as much as $8 billion."

　　Fernandez did not name the companies. But he noted the investment would deal with clean energy infrastructure.

　　Fernandez said that those companies made commitments to "use only renewable energy." So the investment would depend on the progress of rules on renewable energy in Vietnam. He added that the companies were also waiting for permits before they could go ahead with their investment plans.

　　Vietnam is considering rules that would permit factories to negotiate electricity prices directly with producers rather than buy it from the country's state-owned power network operator.

　　It is also working to pass rules for offshore wind, including creating an area for their operation in the sea. But delays in passing these rules have slowed progress.

　　An increase in renewables in Vietnam has been driven by the widespread use of solar panels and onshore wind farms. But problems connecting the projects to the electrical network, which also needs improvements to deal with the renewable energy, have partly undone this progress.

　　Fernandez's trip to Vietnam is part of U.S. plans to begin agreements reached last September. That was when the two countries officially raised their relationship to Vietnam's top diplomatic listing, called "comprehensive strategic partnership."

　　Fernandez had meetings with senior Vietnamese officials during the trip, including with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. During those meetings, he mostly discussed chips, critical minerals, and clean energy, he told reporters.

　　I'm Gregory Stachel.

　　Francesco Guarascio reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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　　由Gregory Stachel撰写

　　2024年1月30日

　　一位美国高级官员最近表示，包括半导体公司在内的15家美国企业已表示有意在越南的清洁能源项目中投资80亿美元。

　　然而，他们的兴趣取决于该国在可再生能源规则上的进展。

　　越南正在寻求引进计算机芯片公司。并且它希望发展其可再生能源产业。但是到目前为止，它在通过允许可再生能源产业扩张的规则上一直面临困难。这些产业包括太阳能和陆上风力以及开发海上风力发电场，而现在它还没有这些。

　　Jose Fernandez是美国国务院经济增长副部长。当被问到美国公司是否想在越南投资时，他上周五在河内对记者说，“他们准备投资多达80亿美元。”

　　Fernandez没有提到这些公司的名字。但他指出，投资将处理清洁能源基础设施。

　　Fernandez表示，这些公司承诺“只使用可再生能源”。因此，投资将取决于越南关于可再生能源的规则的进展。他补充说，这些公司也在等待许可证，然后才能继续他们的投资计划。

　　越南正在考虑允许工厂直接与生产商协商电价，而不是从该国的国有电力网络运营商那里购买。

　　它也正在努力通过海上风力的规则，包括在海中创造一个他们运营的区域。但是在通过这些规则上的延误已经减缓了进程。

　　越南可再生能源的增加是由太阳能板和陆上风力发电场的广泛使用推动的。但是将这些项目连接到电力网络的问题，以及需要改进以处理可再生能源的问题，部分地破坏了这个进程。

　　Fernandez的越南之行是美国计划开始去年9月达成的协议的一部分。那时，两国正式将他们的关系提升到越南的最高外交级别，称为“全面战略伙伴关系”。

　　Fernandez在此次访问期间与越南高级官员进行了会谈，包括与越南总理范明政。在这些会议中，他主要讨论了芯片，关键矿物和清洁能源，他告诉记者。

　　我是Gregory Stachel。

　　Francesco Guarascio为路透社报道了这个故事。Gregory Stachel为VOA学习英语改编了它。

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　　这个故事中的词汇

　　semiconductor – adj.一种材料或物体，允许一些电或热通过它，特别是在电子设备中使用。

　　renewables – adj.通过自然过程恢复或替换：能够被自然替换。

　　chip – n.计算机或其他设备中包含许多电子电路的硬材料（如硅）的非常小的片段。

　　infrastructure – n.一个国家、地区或组织正常运行所需要的基本设备和结构（如道路和桥梁）。

　　solar panel – n.一种大型、平面的设备，使用太阳的光或热来产生电力。