Prioritize vaccines for industrial zones, develop appropriate production and business recovery plans

On the morning of September 20, the Government held an online conference with a number of localities to remove difficulties and obstacles for manufacturing enterprises in industrial parks, economic zones, export processing zones, high-tech parks and industrial clusters. Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh chaired the conference.

Attending the conference, at the Nghe An province bridge, comrade Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired. Attending were leaders of departments, branches, representatives of industrial park investors and enterprises. Photo: Pham Bang

7 GROUPS OF DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING ISSUES

As of the end of August 2021, the country had 291 industrial parks, 44 economic zones, 3 high-tech zones, and 730 industrial clusters in operation. Industrial parks (IPs), economic zones (EZs), and industrial clusters (CCNs) nationwide attracted about 10,963 projects from foreign investors with a total registered capital of about 230 billion USD. Total revenue of enterprises reached about 140 billion USD, export turnover reached about 100.7 billion USD, contributing about 96.5 trillion VND to the state budget, creating jobs for nearly 4 million direct workers.

Recently, due to the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, production and business activities of enterprises in industrial parks, economic zones, high-tech zones and industrial clusters have encountered many difficulties.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Ngoc Hoa presided over the Nghe An bridge. Photo: Pham Bang

Businesses are negatively affected by the disruption and breakage of the global supply chain, causing a shortage of input supplies and output markets; and are forced to delay or cancel orders. The severe shortage of cash flow makes it difficult for businesses to cover the costs of maintaining production and business operations.

To cope with the pandemic, many businesses have had to downsize and cut staff. This has made it very difficult for businesses to find workers when they resume production after the pandemic. Input costs and transportation costs are increasing, leading to a shortage of input materials and increasing production costs. In addition, businesses also have to bear costs related to epidemic prevention and control.

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic in early 2020, the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries, branches and localities have promptly issued many mechanisms, policies and solutions to support people and businesses. These include cutting costs, reducing cash flow in and out of businesses; prioritizing vaccination for workers in these areas and clusters.

Tuna processing line at Frescol Tuna Processing Factory. Photo: Thu Huyen

In particular, on September 9, 2021, the Government issued Resolution No. 105/NQ-CP, which includes fast, strong and timely policies and solutions of a comprehensive and comprehensive nature to remove obstacles and difficulties of businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Faced with the above difficulties, businesses and localities have proposed to develop and implement unified regulations on Covid-19 prevention and control nationwide. Allocate and accelerate the vaccination of all workers to maintain the new normal production status. Continue to extend the implementation period of the issued support packages and supplement and adjust stronger policies in 2021 and 2022.

Enterprises also recommended considering issuing feasible production organization plans and forms, continuing to cut input costs for enterprises. Creating maximum convenience and shortening customs clearance time for export and import shipments of affected enterprises. Shortening the entry process time for experts, foreign workers, etc.

CLOSE COOPERATION TO QUICKLY RECOVER PRODUCTION AND BUSINESS

Concluding the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh emphasized that removing difficulties for enterprises in general and enterprises in industrial parks, economic zones, and industrial clusters is an important and urgent issue at this time. The Government's viewpoint is to both restore production and business while ensuring the health and lives of workers and people.

"This is a broad and difficult issue, especially in the context of the complicated developments of the epidemic. Therefore, it requires the participation, close coordination and high responsibility of businesses, localities and central agencies," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh concluded at the Conference. Photo: VGP/Duc Tuan

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh also stated that the focal point for recovery must be enterprises. Enterprises should proactively develop plans to restore production based on the actual situation of each locality and area. When there is an F0, the outbreak should not spread widely in enterprises and industrial parks. Avoid the situation where when an F0 is detected in a factory, the entire enterprise must stop operating.

In addition, the central point for handling these issues is the localities. Localities must quickly meet, discuss, and contact businesses to thoroughly grasp and implement the spirit of production recovery; guide and request businesses to develop production recovery plans; establish working groups to go directly to guide through production plans, epidemic prevention and control plans, and resolve related issues for businesses.

Affirming the spirit that the Government, ministries and branches will always accompany and stand side by side with businesses and localities, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh assigned the Ministry of Health to quickly advise the Steering Committee to prioritize vaccine allocation to industrial production zones in the spirit of the earliest and fastest, and provide general instructions for localities to implement.

Deputy Prime Minister requests prioritizing vaccine allocation for industrial zones. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The Ministry of Transport must ensure that goods circulate smoothly, without disrupting the supply chain. Create maximum conditions for experts to enter the country to support production and business in the direction of fast and concise process innovation. Relevant ministries and branches actively remove obstacles and create maximum conditions for customs clearance of goods, gradually restoring service activities.../.