CLMV Attracts More Investors from Outside the ASEAN Region

          The CLMV Economic Presence Index (CLMV-EPI)<\/span><\/strong> developed by Kasikorn Research Center indicates that China continues to hold the top economic role in the CLMV countries compared to South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. In the sub-index, China ranks first in trade and tourism, but in terms of investment, Singapore has overtaken China to become the number one investor, rising from fifth place in 2010, particularly due to increased investment in CLMV, especially in Myanmar and Vietnam. However, the rapid growth of investment from Singapore is likely driven more by foreign companies than local Singaporean firms, as Singapore serves as a financial and investment hub in the region and hosts numerous headquarters and regional offices of multinational corporations. Overall, it is evident that the investment role of non-ASEAN investors such as China, South Korea, and Japan in CLMV has been steadily increasing, while the role of traditional ASEAN investors like Thailand and Malaysia has diminished. This growing investment presence from non-ASEAN countries and multinational companies based in Singapore suggests that CLMV is becoming a market that attracts investors from around the world and is gaining importance over traditional ASEAN countries as investors.