That was the gist of comments made yesterday at a conference sponsored by the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) to collect opinions on the resolution ahead of a meeting between Government and business representatives at the end of this month.

 

Resolution 35 that went into effect one year ago together with Resolution 19 on improving the business climate and national competitiveness are aimed at doubling the number of efficient firms to 1 million by 2020.

 

“The central Government was determined to promote business development and the determination has really spread to all ministerial and local agencies,” said VCCI Chairman, Vũ Tiến Lộc. Lộc added that VCCI would collect opinions from firms throughout the country to report to the Prime Minister.

 

According to Mai Đình Mạnh, General Secretary of the Việt Nam Mechatronics Association, creating condition for small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) to access credit should be given top priority. “We hope that firms’ difficulties will be heard and reported to the Prime Minister and Government agencies in order to provide appropriate solutions,” Mạnh said.

 

Nguyễn Văn Đệ, President of Thanh Hóa Province Business Association, said Government leaders should have hot lines on which they can hear contributions from businesses. “Listening to firms’ difficulties and problems is critical in order to generate practical policies,” Đệ said. For example, too many Government inspections are a burden, he said. “Businesses really need favourable conditions for development,” he said.

 

Đệ added that the accountability of Government officials should also be enhanced to promote the development of enterprises.

 

Nguyễn Xuân Dương, President of Hưng Yên Province Business Association, said that last year was a record year for registration of new firms - more than 100,000 - but everyone seemed to forget that there were 13,000 firms dissolved. “Government policies are going in the right direction but more drastic efforts must be made from central to local levels,” Duơng said.

 

“I think that the most important thing now is how to promote the efficiency of existing firms,” he said, adding that domestic firms were facing increasingly harsh competition from foreign ones.

 

Nguyễn Mạnh Thản, President of the Phú Thọ Province Business Association, said that it was critical that firms improve their competitiveness and constantly renovate themselves.

 

Nguyễn Xuân Thành, President of the Ninh Bình Province Business Association, said that lending policies for start-ups should be improved.