Conference seeks solutions to difficulties of import-export activities in HCMC

Export turnover of enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City increased only one per cent, a conference in Ho Chi Minh City heard on January 18.

The conference, "Solving Difficulties For Import-Export Enterprises To Facilitate Trade In The Context Of COVID-19 Pandemic", was jointly held by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade Le Huynh Minh Tu said that the export turnover of the enterprises in the city reached only US$44.9 billion, increasing by one per cent compared to 2020, due to the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most of the major export markets of the city have witnessed a decrease in turnover; for example, China 8.7%, the United States 2.3%, Japan 14, 7% and EU 0.8%, he added.

Though the disease control in Ho Chi Minh City has been well implemented, production and export activities of enterprises are unlikely to recover soon. Problems with workers, drivers, warehousing, rising sea freight rates, and shortages of containers, loading and unloading equipment and shipping vessels are still putting supply chains under great pressure. Meanwhile, the key export markets of the city in particular and Vietnam in general have been implementing many strict solutions to prevent the spread of the pandemic, causing difficulties for export activities of the domestic enterprises.

“The conference creates an opportunity to exchange and identify the context, difficulties and challenges in order to come up with solutions to handle difficulties and obstacles, as well as to restructure and reorganize production and service for export," emphasized the Deputy Director.

He also suggested that the Department of Industry and Trade coordinate with the Customs Department and relevant departments to regularly exchange with associations of exporters and exporters so that they could be timely informed about their difficulties, ideas and suggested solutions.

Thereby, the department could timely offer advice and propose to the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. For contents beyond its authority, the Department of Industry and Trade summarizes and advises the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to report and propose to the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Government for further consideration and direction.

According to Director of USAID, Ann Marie Yastishock, the United States is one of the largest export markets for enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City. USAID, via the USAID Trade Facilitation Program, always considers the city as a strategic partner in trading activities.

She also expressed her hope that the conference would collect many suggested ideas from businesses and relevant agencies, which would therefore offer solutions to promote import and export activities; cut time and costs for businesses, helping them to overcome difficulties in the context of the complicated situation of the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused many negative impacts.

At the conference, the attendees also discussed the current difficulties and obstacles in import and export activities as well as solutions to create favorable conditions for businesses to promote their export activities in the context of the pandemic.

Trade Facilitation Program (TFP) is funded by USAID with a total capital of more than $21.7 million and implemented within five years, from 2018 to 2023. It aims to support the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to adopt and implement a risk management approach to customs and specialized inspection agencies, which will strengthen the implementation of the World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of which both Vietnam and the United States are members. This will assist Vietnam in achieving its development objectives while reducing the time and cost to trade.

USAID and TFP consider Ho Chi Minh City as key area among the six selected localities in terms of trade facilitation and have established a Trade Facilitation Committee in the city.

Over the past time, the USAID TFP has conducted reports on improving trade and logistics activities at Cat Lai port and vicinity in Ho Chi Minh City in addition to offering training courses related to the origin of goods in the free trade agreements signed by Vietnam.