HANOI, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam fell 12 percent to $8 billion in the first 10 months of this year from a year before, the government said on Tuesday.
The inflow put Vietnam on track to reach a government target of $10 billion in actual FDI this year, officials have said.
New pledges between January and October plunged 78.3 percent from a year before to $14.05 billion, a figure that was high given the economic crisis, the Planning and Investment Ministry said in a monthly report.
Vietnam has forecast it would attract new pledges of $20 billion this year, 70 percent down from last year's $66.4 billion.
Foreign investment inflows, along with foreign remittances, are a key source of foreign exchange helping Vietnam offset its trade deficit.
Vietnam said last week it would borrow $1 billion from the World Bank this year and next, and also $1 billion annually from Japan in 2010-2012 to shore up its foreign exchange reserves.

(Reporting by Ho Binh Minh; Editing by John Ruwitch)

((ho.minh@thomsonreuters.com; +844 3825 9623; Reuters

Messaging: ho.minh.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: VIETNAM ECONOMY/FDI (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

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