On the occasion of the Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13), Bac Giang province held a meeting with local enterprises and entrepreneurs. At this meeting, Secretary of Bac Giang Provincial Party Committee Duong Van Thai gave specific and focused instructions for continued support for local companies to boost business development. Vietnam Business Forum would like to excerpt this speech.

United to contain pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic broke out and complicatedly evolved on a large scale. Bac Giang once was the COVID-19 epicenter in the country. All industries were severely hurt and enterprises faced numerous difficulties. Investment, construction, production and business activities stalled. The pandemic profoundly affected the implementation of socioeconomic development goals and tasks and people's livelihoods in the province.

With the attention, direction, support and assistance of the central government, localities and people across the country, the entire political system, business community and people of Bac Giang province united to overcome all hardships. After nearly two months of exerting every effort to fight against the plague, the province successfully controlled and repelled it.

As soon as the pandemic was controlled and a new normal was established, from the beginning of July 2021, social and economic activities in the province quickly recovered. The province's gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth in the first nine months of 2021 reached 5.5% (with the third quarter rising by 6.7%) while the country's GDP grew by 1.42%, with the third quarter's GDP sliding 6.17%.

Industrial production made a record value of nearly VND32,000 billion in September, up nearly 20% from the pre-pandemic time. FDI funds more than doubled from the same period of 2020, ranking 7th in the country. State budget revenue exceeded the full-year estimate. Export and import value surpassed US$21 billion in the first nine months, up nearly 40% year on year and equal the value made in 2020. Most trade and service activities came back to normalcy. Agriculture reaffirmed its supporting role in the economy during difficult times.

Open business climate, enhanced competitiveness

Over the years, the province has always defined enterprises as an economic driver and business "health" as a leading factor for economic recovery. Therefore, the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council and the Provincial People's Committee are always willing to support and facilitate business and entrepreneur development. Many guidelines, mechanisms and policies on business development support have been issued to facilitate enterprises to carry out investment, production and business activities in the province.

All-tier authorities and localities are well aware of the role, position and importance of business to local development; and focused on accelerating administrative reform and improving the business investment environment. Many administrative procedures have been simplified to reduce the settlement time. The sense of responsibility and service attitude among employees and enterprises have been raised markedly. Institutional limitations, infrastructure, access to land and premises have been addressed to better serve enterprises.

Those efforts have been appreciated by the business community, clearly expressed in strong improvements of competitiveness indicators. The Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) 2020 climbed 13 places to rank No. 27 out of 63 provinces and cities. The Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index) went up 12 places to rank No. 13. The Satisfaction Index of Public Administrative Services (SIPAS) increased 6 places to rank No. 3.

Besides, the local business community has been helped for development. The number of enterprises increased continuously and rapidly (on average, over 1,200 new enterprises established a year). Up to now, the province is home to more than 11,600 operational enterprises with a combined registered capital of over VND100 trillion. More and more enterprises are operating effectively, creating many well-paid jobs for workers and actively contributing to economic restructuring, labor structure, budget revenue and overall provincial development.

Bac Giang is developing. The province's potential and advantages are now very abundant in industrial production, services and agriculture. This is an opportunity for local businesses to make breakthroughs in development, if well utilized, to catch up with development trends, enter deeply into production cooperation and global supply chains, expand markets, and pursue long-term and sustainable development.

The province will continue to focus on addressing regulatory obstacles and inadequacies; step up investment in infrastructure development; improve the quality of human resources; strengthen public administration reform, build a truly open, equal and transparent investment and business environment; accelerate digital transformation to gradually build digital government, digital economy and digital society to bring best services and utilities to businesses and investors.

In particular, Bac Giang will further build and improve the quality and sense of responsibility of civil servants; tighten administrative discipline, strictly handle bureaucratic civil servants who harass enterprises; strongly change thinking and awareness, moving from "allowing" and "licensing", to "serving" businesses and people.

At this time, the Provincial Party Committee directs the work of assessing public employees, appointing and promoting them for better service for enterprises to handle emerging hardships to work for the common development goal of Bac Giang province, business community and people.

Businesses need to have specific development strategies

In the current context, each and every business and entrepreneur must strive for integration and development and enrich themselves, the locality and the country. They need to have specific development strategies for both short term and long term. On the long-term strategy, they must work out plans for 5 years, 10 years, 20 years from now, expand operations to other areas; and establish output markets, either domestically or internationally or both.

In the short term, they need to focus on solving the following matters: Overcoming difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; seeking solutions to turn risks into opportunities, adapt well to quick recovery, effective business development, and ensure safety for disease prevention and control. They are advised not to be self-satisfied with what they have achieved and continue to strictly apply measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic.

The province needs to facilitate connectivity and cooperation among entrepreneurs and enterprises to establish production chains and supply chains, improve product value, increase competitiveness and bring benefits to all stakeholders.

Enterprises need to actively reform and improve corporate governance capacity; accelerate scientific and technologic application, invest in machinery and equipment to catch up with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and apply digital transformation to business activities to raise productivity and product quality, reduce production costs, and enhance competitiveness.

They continue to build, foster and elevate core values: Upholding business ethics and building corporate culture; actively participating with the government in solving social problems, environmental responsibilities, and implementing social security policies towards sustainable development.

A lot of difficulties and challenges linger. The Party, government and people of Bac Giang province and the business community need to address them. However, given positive results in the recent time, we are confident about a bright and good future that awaits ahead. I hope that the business community will always "stand shoulder to shoulder" and agree with the Party and the government for the common development in the coming time.

The Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People’s Council and the Provincial People’s Committee always listen, accompany, support and facilitate enterprises to deploy investment and business development activities in the province. Specifically, attention and priority will be given to enterprises active in the province.