The main purposes of Da Nang’s “Year for Business 2014” programme is to encourage local businesses to promote their strengths as well as take the initiative to overcome their difficulties and maintain stable production.  The Party Committee of the city’s Business Bloc will act as a bridge in helping local businesses fully tap the city’s preferential policies, allowing them to make more innovations in their business activities.

The Committee has set up its official website at www.dukdndanang.vn, which aims to introduce the city’s new policies and information relating to the activities of local businesses, as well as their forum.  This website creates an opportunity for local businesses to make full use of these support policies to improve their operations.   The organisation has also conducted surveys of its member businesses’ strengths and their urgent needs, especially for loans and consumer market expansion.  Accordingly, a number of investment cooperation conferences has been held for the Committee’s member businesses.

Making shoes at a local garment company

The Director of the Da Nang branch of the Viet Nam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank), Mr Ngo Lanh, promised that his bank would revise its lending practices to increase its revenue, as well as simplify its lending procedures for local businesses.  He added that the bank would carefully assess the feasibility of business projects in order to give loans to them.  It is assumed that the current lending requirements are creating difficulties for both the city-based credit institutions and local enterprises, and are slowing down the city’s economic growth.  However, Mr Lanh also asked local businesses to take the implementation of their projects into account to secure their operating capital and make more profits.

Meanwhile, the Director of Petrolimex Da Nang, Mr Tran Dinh Thuong, said that his company now has only 25 out of Da Nang’s 80 filling stations, and its products now account for only between 40% and 50% of the market share in the city.  He vowed that his company would make more effort to ensure sufficient supplies of oil and other fuels for local businesses and residents.  Furthermore, local businesses have been paying for oil and gas by instalments.  This preferential policy has been highly appreciated by the local business community.  Thanks to this, numerous high-value contracts between Petrolimex Da Nang and other businesses have been signed.

The 29 March Textiles and Garments Company has affirmed its position in the local market because of its high-quality products.  However, like other enterprises, the company’s products have not been advertised effectively.  The company’s Deputy General Director, Mr Tran Xuan Hoe, said he hopes that local businesses will advertise their products as well as present their opinions about related issues at www.dukdndanang.vn to increase mutual understanding and support activities among local businesses.

Most of the city’s business owners expressed their desire that local authorities would continue to maintain the current preferential policies for the years ahead.  They also suggested that the city should honour enterprises which earn high revenues from export activities, make a significant contribution to the city’s budgetary revenue, and provide many job opportunities for locals.  In addition, more conferences and seminars should be organised in the city to boost trade and investment promotion and global economic integration.