VCCI Management Board: Plans Over fulfilled

 

In domestic and international cooperation, VCCI has focused on the training and development of businesses, human resources development, data bank on economic information. VCCI has completed the IT assistance programme in 46 provinces and cities. Accompanying the visits of the State and Government delegations to other countries, VCCI and Vietnamese businesses have concluded several cooperation agreements, boosting trade and investments.

 

VCCI has received 455 foreign delegations with 20,000 business people for market survey in Vietnam and organized 302 business missions with 6,840 entrepreneurs visiting other countries. As a result, many economic agreements have been signed worth some billion of US dollars. VCCI has organized 135 seminars and round tables with the participation of 19,000 local and foreign business people, 20 exhibitions, 9 trade fairs, provided consultative service to 2,000 businesses, granted 387,500 sets of certificates of origin. It has also organized successfully Vietnam Days in the Republic of Korea and France and business forums in key markets.

 

According to the report of the Control Committee, all members of the Management Board have carried out their tasks, participating actively in business forums and meetings at home and abroad. At the same meeting, the Management Board has approved reports on economic development, business activities and VCCI performance. It has also elected new board members replacing those who were transferred to other posts.

 

VCCI President Vu Tien Loc, on behalf of the Standing Board, made a report on the preparation for the V National Congress to be held in the second quarter of 2008. The Council approved the report with scheduled meetings in all three parts of Vietnam: North, Central and South. The date of the National Congress will be decided at the 11^th meeting of the Management Board to be held in the first quarter of 2008.

 

In September 2007, there were 267 work strikes in Vietnam with some 200,000 participants, 74 per cent of the strikes were in FDI projects, especially Taiwanese and South Korean and in textile, garment and wood processing sectors. 97 per cent of the strikes were in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces. All of them were related to the demand of raising basic salary. It occurred not only in enterprises of low wages but also in those with better welfare due to psychological reaction. However, the strikes this year were more moderate than last year.

 

VCCI HCMC Branch together with Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, HCMC Trade Union and IZ and EPZ Management Board have consulted and solved the issues. Though with great efforts, some issues were beyond our capacity, I request VCCI leadership to intervene with local authorities and agencies to find suitable solution and meet with multi-national groups and business associations to coordinate and restore labour relationship.

 

Mr Huynh Van Minh, Director General of the Saigon Trade Corporation and chairman of the HCMC Business Association
Since 2006, Vietnam can issue APEC Business Cards (ABCT). It is most useful for APEC businesses to travel among APEC economies requiring no visas. However, so far only some 1,000 ABCT were granted, and no one from HCMC. Some local authorities could not decide whom to be granted ABCT. I request VCCI to intervene with related ministries and local authorities to expedite the granting of ABCT to Vietnamese businesses.

 

At present, business linkage is encouraged in Vietnam. It is the linkage in experiences, knowledge, and finance. It is important to SMEs as well as large enterprises to increase their own strength and that of the economy. In fact, many Vietnamese enterprises are now strong enough to win biddings of foreign investment projects. But later on, they sell them again to other enterprises as they lack of experiences or expertise in implementing those projects. In case, they have linkages with enterprises of other sectors, they can possibly implements the projects. Instead of implementing all steps of the projects, they may divide them into packages for sub-contractors. I think, business linkage is essential to increase the economic strength. I recommend that VCCI and related authorities should establish business linkage and guide businesses in that direction.

 

Vietnam Golf Association (VNGA) has been established. However, golf courses of foreign investors cannot be members of the association. I think joining association is voluntary. Members of golf association pay monthly and annual fees and help develop tourism. Most of golf courses in Vietnam are invested and managed by foreigners, but they cannot join the association. As a Vietnamese entrepreneur, if being selfish I would not let them join the association. However, in the common interest, especially for the development of tourism, we should make a decision and let foreign owners of golf courses join the association. Likewise, we should also let foreigners join business associations. I recommend that VCCI should intervene with related authorities on those issues.

Many laws and decrees have been issued, but it take a long time to have guidances on implementation. It adversely affects business activities. In many cases, businesses and investors are ready in finance, technology and workforce, but they have to wait for the entry into force of the law and decree. They wait and wait but without any guidance for implementation. For instance, the law on real estate has already been effective for 9 months, but without guidances, local authorities do not permit investment registration in this field. Businesses are confused and tired of waiting. I suggest that VCCI recommend the government to issue law, decree and guidance at the same time.