PM kicks off private sector talks

The national-level dialogue of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the business community, entitled “Walking in the step of businesses,” has kicked off. The PM promised to help enterprises tackle their woes. Below are some of their issues.

Phuc told more than 2,000 delegates, including representatives of enterprises, ministries, and local and international organisations, that since his last meeting with the business community in Ho Chi Minh City in April last year, the local business climate has remarkably improved.

“However, these achievements are still humble and are just the first results. There still exist numerous obstructions affecting enterprises’ performance,” Phuc said.

“We would like to receive your proposals and frank, hearty, and constructive advice, so that the business and investment climate can be further bettered,” he said. “The government will also enact a directive on better implementing Resolution 35 on improving the local business and investment environment.”

Resolution 35, issued in May 2016, reflects the government’s determination to support and develop the business community. It requires ministries and state management agencies to drastically reform procedures to facilitate enterprises’ operations.

Resolution 35 has also set the goals of raising the number of enterprises to one million by 2020 from the 515,000 at present. The private sector will contribute about 50 per cent of the GDP. Social labour productivity will increase by 5 per cent annually.

According to a survey conducted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in late 2016, 75 per cent of surveyed enterprises see the “positive impacts” of Resolution 35, and 25 per cent said that they were left unaffected.