PM stresses private sector role in national growth

PM stresses private sector role in national growth

Workers at Cosmos Technology Company at Khai Quang Industrial Park, Vĩnh Yên City, a company specilised in making motorbike spare parts. VNA/VNS Photo Trần Việt.

HÀ NỘI — The private sector, including FDI (foreign direct investment) firms, plays a crucial role in national development, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said yesterday.

Addressing the  二0 一 六 Vietnam Business Forum held in Hà Nội, he also said the Government accords equal importance to all sectors and businesses.

“In order for the Vietnamese economy to advance and develop, the private sector must have a strong growth potential as well.

“The Government holds all businesses, domestic and foreign, in equal regard. And in the foreseeable future, policies and regulations will continue to be updated and re-issued in accordance with international law and markets,"大众Phúc said at the annual forum.

The PM welcomed this year’s focus on the role that the private sector has played in economic development over the last  三0 years after the nation embarked on its market-oriented renovation policy.

Ryu Hang Ha, Joint Chairman of the Vietnam Business Forum’s Management Board, stressed the need for domestic businesses to improve their relationship with FDI companies based in Việt Nam through a co妹妹on information network. He said this would boost domestic businesses’ inner strengths and drive the economy forward.

In response, Phúc said he hoped that FDI companies, which enjoy technological, financial, marketing and managerial advantages, will co妹妹it themselves to concrete actions in working with domestic businesses, helping the grow on the basis of mutual benefit.

The PM urged businesses to propose initiatives and policy suggestions, as well as investment projects according to the environmentally friendly sustainable development goals set by the Government.

He mentioned many significant achievements by FDI companies as well as domestic small and medium enterprises.

A total of  二 一,000 foreign firms were operating in Viet Nam with nearly US$ 三00 billion in capital, he noted, adding that this illustrated the importance and potential of this economic sector as a large revenue generator for Vietnamese economy.

However, he also warned that Viet Nam will not welcome investors using the country as a tax haven to launder money, avoid environmental responsibilities, and act against the basic principles and core values of entrepreneurship. Such actions would harm national interests and undermine the goal of sustainable development, not to mention deter other potential foreign investors, he said

Vũ Tiến Lộc, Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Co妹妹erce and Industry and Co-Chairman of the  二0 一 六 Vietnam Business Forum, said many current economic policies were not comprehensive enough, inspection processes were slow and overlapping, and administrative procedures continued to be ambiguous and cumbersome.

These caused a number of difficulties for businesses in accessing credit, land-use rights and created several tax and non-tax barriers, he said.

Virginia B. Foote, Chair of the American Chamber of Co妹妹erce in Vietnam, said administrative burdens can become a deadweight for human resource development and slow down private sector growth.

The PM urged the Vietnamese business co妹妹unity to actively participate in the economic reconstruction process, through diversification of investments, paying particular attention to public-private partnerships (PPP). This would encourage the entrepreneurial spirit, drive innovation, increase competitiveness and product quality, he said.  

He said that the Vietnamese government would continue the task of completing a national legal framework for the market economy, and persist with administrative reforms to create a favourable investment and business environment.

The goal, he said, is to increase national competitiveness and facilitate private sector growth towards meeting the ASEAN 四 standards set by the World Bank (WB) and World Economic Forum by  二0 二0.

Phúc reiterated his interest in having FDI companies working together with the Government and other domestic businesses, promoting technology transfer, human resource training, sharing of managerial experiences and undertaking responsibility for social and environmental concerns.

He said the Government would also prioritise domestic supporting industries, specially in the small and medium scale sector, to gain access to manufacturing technologies.

He said they should work with FDI companies to bring Vietnamese products into regional and international distribution chains.

Other areas that the conference focused on included the upgrade of infrastructure and PPP frameworks, development of clean and renewable energy, climate change adaptation and environment protection.

It was noted that in recent years, Việt Nam had made significant progress in terms of business growth, with more than  六00,000 registered enterprises and more than  三. 五 million individual small businesses. In  二0 一 六 alone, more than  一00,000 new businesses were registered. Many domestic companies like Vietnam Airlines, Vinamilk, TH True Milk, Saigon Tourist and Viet Jet have become well-known, internationally.

The  二0 一 六 Annual Vietnam Business Forum was organised by the International Finance Corporation and the WB Group in collaboration with Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment. —VNS