Logistics in the assembly’s forum

(Vietnam Logistics Review) The 5th Meeting Session of the XIV Assembly is being held in Hanoi. According to Government reports, GDP of the first quarter was “soaring the highest in the past 10 years”- a proof for efficient on-time solutions and guidelines from the Government and related levels, sector, local authorities being implemented at the beginning of 2018.

Logistics marks

Achievements in the first months of 2018 has had “marks” from export. According to the Government’s reports, export has been on the increase: in first months of the year, many large export orders were signed; total turn-over of the first 4 months reach USD 73.76bn - an increase of 19%; mechanism had positive changes: industrial processing goods had an increase of 21.8%. There have been market expansions for produce as star apples, dragon fruits, litchis, rambutans, and chicken… rice had an increase of 22.3% in quantity and 38.3% in turnover with better price that benefited farmers.

Total import turn-over has an increase of 10.1%, mostly from importing materials, machines and equipment serving productions and export. There should be better controls of border trade and protection measures in accordance with international commitments. Export turn-over of USD 3.4bn remarkably improved payment balance.

Total society investment in the first quarter had an increase of 10.4% (compared to 9.5% year-overyear). Among which, investment from private sector had a remarkable increase of 16.9%- an obvious result of implementing the Resolution 5 from the Central (term XII) on developing private sector’s economic. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first 4 months reached USD 5.1bn- an increase of 6.3%. Stock market showed a growing trend, surpassing the highest point in the past 10 years (1.170 points), and is now fluctuating in 1.000- 1.100 points; capitalization of listed stock and bond market reached over 96% of GDP,

An economy depends much on labor capacity. Therefore, simplifying administration procedures, cutting time and costs, publicizing results of solving people’s suggestions… are all urgent tasks.

There have been improvements in business environment and in administration procedure innovations. There have been solutions to cut 50% of business conditions in various fields of industry- trade, medical, transport, construction and agriculture… Average provincial competition index (PCI) has reached the highest since 2005. Mechanism and policies have been improved, especially those related to investments, construction, land and environment… In the first 4 months, there were 41,000 newly founded enterprises and 11,000 going back to operation. The number of newly registered or modified capital reached VND 1,160,000bn.

No sustainable development without logisticsThe achieved number resulted from the Government’s effort to improve mechanisms, policies and law on the fields of investments, management and exploitation of railroad, local waterway, airway and seaway infrastructures; from the construction of sections of North- South expressway on the East; from solving obstacles in key national works and so on…

Although there have been joyful signal, there should be on-time recognitions of potential risks. It is obvious to see labor capacity, competition ability of the economy are still low; there have been a shortage of skilled labor and outdated production technology and management in various sectors and fields; there have also been inefficient Governmental management and low disciplines. And there have also been various of risks from natural disasters as droughts, storms, salinity that badly affect productions and life.

To overcome difficulties, the Government has shown directions, guidelines, duties and key solutions for the coming time. An economy depends much on labor capacity. Therefore, simplifying administration procedures, cutting time and costs, publicizing results of solving people’s suggestions… are all urgent tasks.

Many experts said there should be serious implementations of the Government’s resolutions on solutions to boost export, business promotions, business expansions and simplification of administrative procedures, especially specialized inspection procedure in order to control inflation and develop the economy. There should also be technical barriers and trade defense in accordance to international commitments and import control to deal with trade deficit and so on…

At the same time, there should be attention on developing local markets; building efficient synchronous delivery systems to bring goods to remote areas. And there should be adequate solutions to deal with retail market cornering. There should be more connections among enterprises, suppliers and farmers and more facilitations for private sector to take part in restructuring State-owned business. And there should be establishment of potential economic groups to take part in production networks and regional or global value chains.