The Prime Minister's particular concern

Immediately after taking office, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc showed particular interest in removing all institutional barriers…

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attends the Quang Tri Province Investment Promotion and Tourism Promotion Conference on April 17. Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu

"When it comes to economic development, businesses are the pioneers. Therefore, we need to create the most favorable conditions for investors and businesses to invest and operate. In the coming time, we strive to be among the top 4 ASEAN countries in terms of business environment," Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasized at the Quang Tri Province Investment Promotion and Tourism Promotion Conference on April 17.

Before hundreds of investors, the Prime Minister clearly stated the government's spirit of fostering development. The government acts, serves, and is determined to remove difficulties and create all favorable conditions for the people and businesses.

"Businesses are pioneers"—this is a very high and accurate assessment of the role of businesses in the nation-building and development process. If businesses are pioneers, then the state, in its role as facilitator, will be the most important support for them. Clearly defining the roles of the state and businesses in this way is a prerequisite for the state to avoid direct interference in business operations, to not replace businesses, but to focus on improving institutions, allowing the market and society to do what they can do better.

Just a few days earlier, the Prime Minister had also emphasized this spirit when he convened and chaired the first meeting of the newly restructured government, which took place on April 12th.

"Businesses are currently facing many difficulties; a large number of businesses have suspended operations or gone bankrupt. We must address these issues immediately. We cannot allow businesses to become exhausted," he said, and requested that each member of the Government develop an action plan, focusing on building and perfecting institutions. There must be a determination to remove all institutional and procedural barriers. Anything that hinders progress must be eliminated immediately, and anything that benefits the people must be diligently implemented.

Also at this meeting, the Prime Minister mentioned the requirement to bring Vietnam into the top 4 ASEAN countries in terms of business environment. To achieve this goal, the Prime Minister requested the immediate implementation of two tasks. Firstly, regarding long-term policy, the Government must soon issue Resolution No. 19/NQ-CP on improving the investment and business environment and enhancing national competitiveness with a vision beyond the 2016-2020 period. Secondly, in April, he will chair a conference to listen to businesses, remove difficulties, support business development, and restore the confidence of businesses and society.

The Prime Minister's particular concern for businesses stems from the fact that, alongside the significant progress made, the implementation of two very important laws for businesses is facing numerous specific difficulties.

For example, according to the Investment Law, ministries, departments, and localities are no longer allowed to issue business conditions, but are the technical procedures and standards applied to various industries considered business conditions? Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, who heads the Ministry currently drafting 12 decrees regulating business conditions, acknowledges this is a difficult problem to solve.

Looking back, in almost every activity since taking office, the Prime Minister has not only mentioned but also emphasized the need to remove all institutional barriers, improve the business environment, and create favorable conditions for businesses. Among the six priority areas for governance shared by the Prime Minister after taking office, the second is: "Focus on administrative reform, creating all favorable conditions for people and businesses. Encourage entrepreneurship, promote creative freedom, value talent, and mobilize all resources for development." As the Prime Minister stated, the Government has clearly recognized the obstacles preventing Vietnam from developing in proportion to its potential and strengths, and has identified opportunities and resources for future growth to act more decisively and synchronously.

These are not just verbal commitments from the head of government. Most recently, at the end of March, in the dispute between Tan Duc Industrial Park (Long An) and a Japanese enterprise, while still serving as Deputy Prime Minister, he instructed the Chairman of the Long An Provincial People's Committee to directly investigate the case, handle it seriously and in accordance with the law if any wrongdoing is discovered, and protect the legitimate rights of the enterprise.

According to experts, building and perfecting institutions and policies to support businesses in production and trade is a breakthrough for Vietnam's strong development in the coming period. This is also the official viewpoint of the Vietnamese Party and State and is being implemented through specific policies and actions. The Prime Minister's special attention to the business community is therefore also a concern of his regarding the future development and position of the country.

The business community is awaiting more decisive action from the Government, starting with the "Dien Hong Conference" between the Prime Minister and businesses, which will take place in late April at a historically significant location - the Reunification Hall in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to the Government