Prime Minister's special concern

Immediately after taking office, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc showed special attention to the need to remove all institutional barriers…

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attends the conference on investment promotion and tourism promotion in Quang Tri province on April 17. Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu

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

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

“Enterprises are pioneers” is a very high and correct assessment of the role of enterprises in the cause of building and developing the country. If enterprises are pioneers, then the state, with its role as a creator, will be the most important support for enterprises. Clearly defining the roles of the state and enterprises like this is a prerequisite for the state not to directly intervene in business activities, not to do things for enterprises, but to focus on perfecting institutions, so that the market and society can do things that society and the market can do better.

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

“Businesses are still facing many difficulties, with many businesses suspending operations and going bankrupt. We must resolve this immediately. We cannot let businesses become exhausted,” he said, requesting that each member of the Government have an action plan, focusing on building and perfecting institutions. We must be determined to remove all institutional and methodical barriers. Anything that hinders must be removed immediately, and anything that benefits the people must be implemented.

Also at this meeting, the Prime Minister mentioned the requirement to bring Vietnam into the group of 4 leading ASEAN countries in terms of business environment. To achieve this goal, the Prime Minister requested the immediate implementation of 2 tasks. Firstly, regarding long-term policies, it is necessary to soon submit to the Government for further promulgation of Resolution No. 19/NQ-CP on improving the investment and business environment, 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 special concern for businesses is that, in addition to the great strides that have been recorded, the implementation of two very important laws for businesses is facing many very specific difficulties.

For example, according to the Investment Law, ministries and localities are no longer allowed to issue business conditions, but are the technical processes and standards applied to industries considered business conditions? Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, who is drafting 12 Decrees regulating business conditions, admits that this is a problem that is not easy to handle.

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 facilitate businesses. Among the 6 priority areas for direction and management shared by the Prime Minister after taking office, the second is "Focusing on administrative reform, creating all favorable conditions for people and businesses. Encouraging startups, promoting freedom of creativity, respecting talents, and mobilizing all resources for development". As the Prime Minister stated, the Government has clearly recognized the obstacles that have prevented Vietnam from developing commensurate with its potential and strengths, and has identified opportunities and growth resources in the coming time to take more drastic and synchronous actions.

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

According to experts, building and perfecting institutions and policies for enterprises to produce and do business is the breakthrough for Vietnam to develop strongly in the coming time. This is also the official viewpoint of the Party and State of Vietnam and is being implemented through specific policies, strategies and actions. The Prime Minister's special concern for the business community is therefore also his concern for the development prospects and future position of the country.

The business community is expecting more drastic actions from the Government, first of all the “Dien Hong Conference” between the Prime Minister and businesses, which will take place in the last days of April at a historically significant location - Thong Nhat Hall, Ho Chi Minh City./

According to the Government