VCCI: For Development of Vietnam's Business Community in Int'l Integration

VCCI: For Development of Vietnam's Business Community in Int'l Integration

In recent years, Vietnamese enterprises have not been constrained in terms of their business location and information channels. This has been the result of great efforts by enterprises and great support from the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) to provide a good link-up between the Vietnamese business community with local State management agencies and foreign partners.

Since its establishment, VCCI has been assigned by the Government to act as a trade promotion agency to bridge relation between Vietnam and the rest of the international community. In addition, VCCI is a liaison agency between enterprises and State management agencies. Having carried out this function for the past years, VCCI has developed many programmes to introduce Vietnamese goods and people to foreign friends, as well as introduce the business experience and methods of foreign enterprises to Vietnam. Accordingly, VCCI has organised hundreds of visits to foreign countries and received hundreds of foreign delegations, as well as many exchange meetings between Vietnamese enterprises, officials and foreign enterprises.

VCCI has been highly praised by enterprises for its organisation of dialogues between enterprises and State management agencies, and especially the annual meeting between entrepreneurs and the Prime Minister, which have been highly effective. Through this activity, enterprises can voice their difficulties directly to State management agencies and their problems will be solved by authorised agencies. Such programmes have drawn much attention not only from enterprises but also from the public, because problems voiced by enterprises, including tax, customs procedures, and land use rights, impact directly on the interest of the people.

VCCI’s collection of ideas and comments to the existing legal documents and draft laws has received responses from enterprises and experts. In particular, enterprises have contributed their input and comments to the drafting of laws, such as the Unique Enterprise Law and the Joint Investment Law. For this activity to become more effective, before organising seminars to collect ideas and comments, VCCI sends its suggestions to participants regarding issues which need inputs and comments, as well as concrete questions about what the public considers suitable.

Apart from focusing on localities and fields of great potential, VCCI has paid careful attention to helping young entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium-sized enterprises. This economic sector accounts for up to 80 per cent of the total number of enterprises in Vietnam, so it will act as the driving force of the Vietnamese economy, deciding whether Vietnam will succeed or not during its international integration. Also, VCCI is interested in a specific economic sector – military enterprises, which take part not only in economic development but also national defence and security. After 42 years’ development, VCCI now has 6,234 member enterprises.

For Vietnam to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) late this year, VCCI is exerting great efforts in association with the law drafting board of the Government to complete two important laws, the Unique Enterprise Law and the Joint Investment Law, to create a complete business legal system in line with international practice. This is a necessary condition for Vietnam’s international integration. At the same time, VCCI is continuing to boost and develop relations between Vietnamese enterprises and business associations with foreign partners by organising seminars, fairs and exhibitions for introducing business and investment opportunities. With its great reputation and prestige built up over the past 42 years, VCCI will help Vietnamese enterprises strengthen during international integration.

A legal corridor for the representation of employers should be developed quickly
Vu Dinh Tan, chief executive and general director of the Tan Hong Trading and Tourism Company and member of executive board of VCCI

At present, in Vietnam, apart from VCCI, there are many organisations acting as the employer’s representatives. However, only VCCI has been officially assigned by the Government in terms of functions and tasks. VCCI has carried out its functions and tasks as the employer’s representative effectively. Via the VCCI, employers have expanded their international co-operation and exchange activities, learning experience from foreign colleagues in settling disputes with workers.

Vietnam doesn’t have any legal corridor for such an activity at present. I think that VCCI should propose that the Government and relevant agencies issue legal documents to regulate this activity and perfect a co-operation mechanism among VCCI members, the Vietnam Labour Confederation and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. Sometimes, conflict arises between employees and management, and strikes become unavoidable. Therefore, a legal corridor should be completed as soon as possible.

Vietnam’s tourism industry has seen rapid development in recent years. However, the State has not invested enough in the industry to develop to its full potential. When investors come to Vietnam, their first impressions are the culture and lifestyle of the Vietnamese people. Tourism is a spearhead economic sector in close relation to other sectors. To attract investment and boost the development of other sectors, I think that the State should prioritise its investment in tourism. Within the industry, Vietnam should promote its investment in infrastructure for maritime and overland road tours. Accordingly, tourist ports should be built to receive tourists. VCCI should help raise its voice about investment promotion in tourism’s infrastructure development.

Collection of inputs and comments should be expanded to ordinary people
Pham Thanh Long, director of the Pham Jurist Company

VCCI is an organisation with great influence on the business community. Having been a member of VCCI since 2001, we are aware of the practical meaning and effectiveness of programmes and activities developed by VCCI. In particular, training courses and symposiums are very useful for us. I have attended many VCCI-organised training courses on leadership, human resources and company culture.

VCCI has effectively performed its function as a consultancy agency for the Government in issuing policies and approaches, and a representative of the business community before State management agencies. To play this role well, VCCI has developed many programmes to collect ideas and comments about laws and policies from enterprises, so laws and policies will be most suitable and closest to enterprises’ activities, responsibility and interest. In particular, the website http://vibonline.com.vn, which was put into operation last year, has helped the contribution of ideas and comments to draft laws of individuals and enterprises of all economic sectors. However, I would like to propose that VCCI should take measures to help every person in Vietnam have an opportunity to contribute his or her comments and ideas about draft laws via the website http://vibonline.com.vn. This is because legal documents directly impact on people’s daily lives in terms of income tax and land. Also, a focus should be given to ordinary people’s aspirations and comments.

High effectiveness of dialogues between enterprises and State management agencies
Le Khac Triet, general director of the Hanoi Trade and Technology Transfer and vice chairman of the Vietnam Association of Rural Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

VCCI has become a good bridge between enterprises and State management agencies and high ranking officials. Via dialogues and seminars organised by VCCI, enterprises have the opportunity to talk about their difficulties directly with authorised agencies, which will then help them overcome their difficulties and issue mechanisms and policies, suitable to enterprises.

Dialogues have been highly effective. For example, after hearing enterprises’ concerns about trouble caused by inter-agency examination stations or authorised agencies of the government, the Prime Minister has made some adjustments to create a more open business and production environment for enterprises. Furthermore, from these meetings, many cases of malpractice have been brought to light.

As an organisation with an in-depth understanding of what enterprise, I hope that VCCI will further promote co-operation with business associations to get exact and clear information to provide more effective support for enterprises. Therefore, VCCI can take optimal measures to help Vietnamese enterprises improve their competitiveness in the international arena.

• Reported by Nguyen Thoa