According to the 2019 Best Countries to Invest In Index released by American media firm, Vietnam stands above Malaysia (13rd), Singapore (14th) and Indonesia (18th) in the index.

Uruguay topped the ranking as the best country to invest in, followed by Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica, Luxembourg.

Its ranking is based on a survey of nearly 7,000 business decision-makers who scored each country on eight attributes: corruption, dynamism, economic stability, entrepreneurial spirit, favorable tax environment, innovativeness, skilled labor force and technological expertise.

Foreign investment in Vietnam is expected to top $20 billion this year, a record high, according to Singapore’s United Overseas Bank (UOB).

FDI pledges for new projects, increased capital and stake acquisitions in Vietnam downed 11.9 percent year-on-year to $22.63 billion in the first eight months of this year, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Estimated FDI disbursement between January and August was nearly $11.96 billion, up 6.3 percent year-on-year.

Vietnam has been attracting FDI for over three decades now, with the value reaching $334 billion as of August last year.