Public-private partnership can take place in all fields and matters, from strategic infrastructure development, digital transformation, renewables, carbon emission reduction, healthcare, to buildings or parks management.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates at the meeting. Photos: Nhat Bac

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed the view in an online meeting with the business community on September 26.

“The State would not do what the people and enterprises are capable of,” Chinh said.

Chinh said government agencies are pushing for more projects under the public-private partnership and called for businesses to propose specific projects for cooperation.

The prime minister stressed administrative reform and finalization of legal institutions remain strategic solutions for Vietnam to ensure sustainable growth.

“The people and enterprises are at the center of this process,” Chinh said while asking for the enterprises to continue raising their voices on current legal shortcomings for the Government to address.

Chinh reiterated his view that the business community is the driving force in socio-economic development and in the Covid-19 fight. As such, the Government would push for further decentralization for a closer linkage between the public and local authorities.

“Businesses could involve more in the policy-making process for greater efficiency in administrative reform and higher quality of human resources. They are also encouraged to take part in the technology transfer, healthcare capacity building, and pharmaceutical industry development to better respond to future situations,” Chinh said.

Chinh also advised enterprises to restructure organizations to stay competitive in new normalcy. “The Government would strive to be a true companion of businesses to ensure they are the beneficiaries of any policies or decisions,” he added.

The prime minister at the meeting.

Chinh mentioned his decision to establish a task force specialized in addressing concerns of businesses and people, while each locality has been instructed to take into consideration opinions from enterprises in drafting plans to respond to Covid-19 and economic recovery afterward.

According to Chinh, the Government and business community shared the view to shift from a “zero Covid” approach to safe and flexible adaptation to the pandemic for economic development.

The Ministry of Health is tasked with proposing measures and instructions in this regard by incorporating different views. Chinh said the goal is to avoid an immediate lockdown right after reopening the economy that many countries are experiencing at the moment.

In fighting against the pandemic, Chinh said the priorities continue to be testing, quarantine, treatment, vaccination, and raising public awareness.

Safe reopening

At the meeting, Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Pham Tan Cong suggested a key task in ensuring safe economic reopening is to enhance the on-site healthcare capabilities of each enterprise.

“In this long fight, enterprises should be permitted to carry out Covid-19 testing and treatment of patients with no concentrated quarantine to carriers showing light symptoms depending on their own capabilities, while the Government focuses on providing support and policies,” Cong added.

Cong expressed support for Prime Minister Chinh’s view that vaccine, drug treatment, and public awareness are the requirements for businesses to resume production.

“Complacency and failure to adhere to these principles would lead to severe consequences in case lockdown is lifted,” he added.

Regarding this issue, the Chairman of the Vietnam International Arbitration Center (VIAC) Vu Tien Loc stressed the necessity to avoid the introduction of new sub-licenses or business conditions when enterprises are gradually resuming operation.

“Provinces/cities should give priority to both preventing the pandemic and maintaining a favorable environment for economic activities,” Loc said.

The Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) Nguyen Thi Hong said one of the most pressing needs for enterprises is to lower interest rates.

“The SBV has instructed banks to realize their commitments on lowering interest rates to businesses affected by the pandemic, but still ensure safety for the banking system,” Hong stressed.