The Vietnamese government has published a list of 17 business sectors that are open to foreign investors, with some conditions, in a bid to improve the investment environment following this year's record inflow of foreign capital.

Until now, Vietnam - often criticized for a lack of transparency in investment regulations - had not fully specified the conditions applied for foreign investors after having eased the foreign ownership cap in many listed firms.

The list includes real estate and providing services in tourism, entertainment, computing, research and development, information, leasing, transportation, construction, healthcare and trading, the Planning and Investment Ministry-run Foreign Investment Department said on its website (dautunuocngoai.gov.vn).

The conditions include a foreign ownership ratio, the form and scope of investment, Vietnamese partners and other conditions subjects to international treaties on investment, the department said in a note attached to the list seen on December 30.

Based on government data, Vietnam received an estimated US$14.5 billion in foreign investment disbursements in 2015, a record and 17.4% up from the previous year.