Hanoi (VNA)𒈔 – Businesses have agreed that GovernmentResolution 35 on supporting and developing enterprises augurs changes,but are adopting a wait-and-see attitude toward its implementation.

That was the gist of comments made on March 6 at a conference sponsoredby the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) to collectopinions on the resolution ahead of a meeting between Government andbusiness representatives at the end of this month. Resolution 35 that went into effect one year ago together withResolution 19 on improving the business climate and nationalcompetitiveness are aimed at doubling the number of efficient firms to 1million by 2020. “The central Government was determined to promote business developmentand the determination has really spread to all ministerial and localagencies,” said VCCI Chairman, Vu Tien Loc. Loc added that VCCI wouldcollect opinions from firms throughout the country to report to thePrime Minister. According to Mai Dinh Manh, General Secretary of the Vietnam Mechatronics Association, creating conditions for small and medium-sizeenterprises (SMEs) to access credit should be given top priority. “Wehope that firms’ difficulties will be heard and reported to the PrimeMinister and Government agencies in order to provide appropriatesolutions,” Manh said. Nguyen Van De, President of Thanh Hoa province's Business Association,said Government leaders should have hot lines on which they can hearcontributions from businesses. “Listening to firms’ difficulties andproblems is critical in order to generate practical policies,” De said. For example, too many Government inspections are a burden, he said.“Businesses really need favourable conditions for development,” he said. De added that the accountability of Government officials should also be enhanced to promote the development of enterprises. Nguyen Xuan Duong, President of Hung Yen province's Business Association,said that last year was a record year for registration of new firms -more than 100,000 - but everyone seemed to forget that there were 13,000firms dissolved. “Government policies are going in the right directionbut more drastic efforts must be made from central to local levels,”Duong said. “I think that the most important thing now is how to promote theefficiency of existing firms,” he said, adding that domestic firms werefacing increasingly harsh competition from foreign ones. Nguyen Manh Than, President of Phu Tho province's BusinessAssociation, said that it was critical that firms improve theircompetitiveness and constantly renovate themselves. Nguyen Xuan Thanh, President of Ninh Bình province's BusinessAssociation, said that lending policies for start-ups should beimproved.-VNA