The COVID-19 pandemic caused many difficulties and challenges for businesses and localities. With its functions and duties, how did VCCI Da Nang accompany the government and businesses?

VCCI Da Nang operates in 11 provinces and cities in the Central Region - Central Highlands, an area where the economy - society overall still has many difficulties, most of enterprises are small and medium-sized businesses. Therefore, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, small and medium-sized enterprises with inherently limited resources faced more difficulties than large-scale enterprises with more resources. In addition, the negative side of the province's application of strong measures to prevent and control the pandemic also had a significant impact on business activities in the region.

In that context, accompanying the government and businesses, VCCI Da Nang conducted surveys to understand the operation situation, the impact of the pandemic and the government's pandemic prevention and control measures on production and business activities in order to provide information to provincial and municipal governments. From the opinions of businesses, the branch proposed solutions to both guarantee the prevention and control of the pandemic, while ensuring the highest maintenance of production and business activities, helping businesses minimize the negative impact of these measures; supporting businesses in responding to the pandemic, maintaining production, solving congestion of goods circulation as well as movement of the workforce in the context of social distancing.

The branch also recommended that provinces and cities promulgate a number of policies to support businesses to reduce costs of pandemic prevention and control, from access to land to reforming administrative procedures, in order to reduce costs and time for businesses. The recommendations of VCCI Da Nang were received by the authorities of the provinces and cities and they directed relevant departments and agencies to remove and help businesses overcome difficulties.

Recently, after the Government, National Assembly, and localities issued resolutions and policies to support businesses, VCCI Da Nang actively collected opinions of businesses to propose to those provinces and cities to implement the most effective policies, so that businesses can benefit the most and recover the fastest in the post-pandemic period.

How are regular activities of VCCI Da Nang maintained in the context of the pandemic, sir?

In the context of COVID-19, like many other units, VCCI Da Nang's activities have faced many difficulties, but we have still tried our best to complete the assigned plan. The work of issuing certificates of origin (CO) for enterprises is still taking place continuously, conveniently and as quickly as possible for exporting enterprises. At the same time, through many different channels and different forms from face to face to online, the Branch still provides information and advice to assist businesses in accessing the market, taking advantage of opportunities from international trade agreements and improving the efficiency of exporting goods.

One key task is to promote the improvement of the business environment. VCCI Da Nang has actively cooperated with the authorities of the provinces and cities to provide counter-arguments and suggestions to develop solutions and policies to improve the business environment; participating in a number of committees and working groups of the authorities of the provinces and cities in removing difficulties for enterprises, helping them to operate more smoothly and effectively. Many localities have a markedly improved business investment environment, and many have issued policies highly appreciated by enterprises. The provinces and cities that VCCI Da Nang consulted to evaluate the district and department competitiveness index (DDCI) all have strong improvements in the ranking of provincial competitiveness index (PCI).

Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has been controlled, how does VCCI Da Nang plan to revive activities and continue to accompany businesses?

During the outbreak of the pandemic, many activities of the Branch were carried out online, and its interactions with businesses were maintained quite effectively. However, online deployment had certain limitations. Therefore, when the pandemic is under control, training activities, conferences, seminars, trade and investment promotion will be revived in a stronger, more practical and effective way. In the coming time, we will deploy to build a business consulting network to promote consulting activities to help businesses timely and fully grasp the State's policies and laws, and better grasp the opportunities created by international integration. At the same time, it will help to quickly solve difficulties and problems in legal compliance of enterprises.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many difficulties for businesses. In your opinion, what issues should businesses pay attention to in order to overcome difficulties, seize opportunities and accelerate development?

The pandemic has made many businesses nearly run out their resources, so, as we know, the Government and localities have been having many supportive policies to help businesses recover. In my opinion, businesses need to pay attention to grasp and apply these regulations and policies well. In addition, businesses need to review themselves, quickly restructure their operations, promote the application of information technology, pay attention to training to improve skills and knowledge, and improve the lives of employees. They should effectively combine internal and external resources to overcome difficulties and accelerate development when opportunities arise.

How do you evaluate the business environment of the provinces in the Central Region - Central Highlands today, especially Da Nang?

Compared with the past, the business environment in the provinces and cities in the Central region - Central Highlands has improved a lot and is becoming better. As for Da Nang, the annual PCI ranking results show that the business investment environment here remains at the top. However, due to the impact of the pandemic and many other factors, I feel that the business investment environment in Da Nang has not had many breakthroughs. In my opinion, the city needs to continue to listen to and better solve the difficulties and obstacles of enterprises, and needs better coordination between municipal agencies and units in handling administrative procedures, investment procedures related to the authority of many departments and sectors of the city for businesses and investors. In addition, the city continues to promote administrative procedure reform, applying online public services in a more substantive manner in order to be more open, transparent, and faster to resolve administrative procedures for businesses and investors. Additionally, it is important to develop mechanisms and policies in accordance with the law, ensuring harmonization of interests between the State and investors in order to promote the attraction of quality investment from the domestic private sector and FDI in order to contribute to realizing the city's development strategy and planning in the coming time.

Thank you very much!