Government and Businesses Join Hands for Development

The Nghe An Branch of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI-Nghe An) in Vinh City, Nghe An Province, recently organised a forum on government and businesses working hand in hand for development, an important opportunity for businesses and local government to meet and exchange to find a common voice for the sake of business development and local socioeconomic development.

 

Addressing the forum, Mr Dinh Viet Hong, Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, briefly reported local socio-economic development results and praised important contributions of the business community to the province. He appreciated VCCI Nghe An’s roles in connecting businesses through very practical and useful activities in recent times.

 

Mr Dau Anh Tuan, Acting Director of VCCI Legal Department, said that amidst the current economic downturn, VCCI Nghe An’s regular organisation of forums and dialogues with businesses and the local government’s constant support and facilitation are very much appreciated, especially the positive attitude of the provincial government. He also called attention to existing advantages and potentials of Nghe An province, strong efforts for better investment and business environment, and local preferential policies for domestic and foreign investors. However, when compared with other provinces like Binh Duong and Thanh Hoa, Nghe An province should make more efforts.

 

Attending enterprises also frankly recognised and assessed the degree of interest of local authorities in helping enterprises address difficulties in practice. However, apart from policy support, according to many businesses, local authorities need to understand business situations to provide the best support, particularly in the current tough context.

 

Business representatives proposed preferential tax, land rent in industrial zones and loans for businesses, and site clearance. They hoped frank proposals would draw responses in suitable solutions from local governments, and that currently unsolved issues would be addressed in the future.

 

In recent years, Nghe An province also suffered storms and floods caused by climate change. These adversities seriously affect production and business activities of enterprises, especially small and medium ones. But, in 2013, Nghe An reached and exceeded 19 out of 25 targets, particularly GDP growth at 7 percent. The province also attracted 72 domestic and foreign investment projects, including five FDI projects. Enterprises made revenues of VND6,062 billion, or 108 percent of estimates.