Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the plenary session of the Vietnam Logistics Forum 2024 – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
On the morning of December 2, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the plenary session of the Vietnam Logistics Forum 2024, with the theme "Free trade zones, breakthrough solutions to promote logistics growth" organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in coordination with the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province.
Also attending the event were: Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien; Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung; Minister of Transport Tran Hong Minh; Secretary of the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Provincial Party Committee Pham Viet Thanh; leaders of ministries, branches, provinces and cities; domestic and foreign organizations and enterprises, with a total of more than 2,000 delegates attending in person and online.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien delivers the opening speech at the Vietnam Logistics Forum 2024 – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
This is a forum organized annually by the Ministry of Industry and Trade since 2013. Vietnam Logistics Forum 2024 aims to promote logistics enterprises to apply advanced and modern technology in supply chain operations; find solutions to improve competitiveness for Ba Ria - Vung Tau province and the Southeast region; especially create an environment for connecting logistics enterprises, investors and management agencies to develop Vietnam logistics.
With the theme “Free trade zones, breakthrough solutions to promote logistics growth”, the Forum wants to send a message that Vietnam encourages and attracts the development of free trade zones, aiming to make Vietnam a strong country in logistics, contributing to promoting the industrialization and modernization of the country, especially in the era of national development.
Secretary of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Provincial Party Committee Pham Viet Thanh speaks – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Recently, Vietnam has been actively researching free trade zones around the world. Recently, the National Assembly approved a pilot mechanism for establishing a free trade zone in Da Nang city, which is the basis for piloting new policy research, and a premise for legalizing regulations on free trade zones for the whole country.
At the plenary session, delegates enthusiastically discussed the development of Vietnam's logistics; potentials, strengths; mechanisms, policies, and orientations for Vietnam's logistics development. In particular, delegates had many presentations proposing orientations for Vietnam's logistics development to reach out to the new era; Vietnamese logistics enterprises at the turning point of the era; experiences, trends in logistics development and free trade zones - opportunities and recommendations for Vietnam's logistics industry...
Delegates enthusiastically discussed the development of Vietnam's logistics; potential, strengths; mechanisms, policies, and orientations for Vietnam's logistics development at the plenary session - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Delegates proposed promoting the formation of free trade zones, international transit ports, building a fleet of container ships, a fleet of specialized cargo aircraft; promoting international cooperation, building strong Vietnamese logistics enterprises, strongly developing transport infrastructure, warehouses, technological innovation, training and improving human resources in the logistics industry, developing public-private partnership models in the logistics sector, perfecting legal frameworks, and having policies to encourage foreigners to develop Vietnamese logistics such as tax policies, visas for foreigners, etc.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates perform the ceremony to announce the Vietnam Logistics Report 2024 – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
The growth rate of the logistics industry in Vietnam in recent years has reached about 14-16%, with a scale of about 40-42 billion USD/year. According to the World Bank's ranking, Vietnam currently ranks 43rd out of 155 countries in terms of logistics efficiency and is among the top 5 countries in ASEAN.
In the first 9 months of 2024, nearly 6,500 newly registered enterprises in the logistics sector nationwide, with a total registered capital of VND 36,550 billion and a total registered number of nearly 28,900 employees, an increase of 13.5% in the number of enterprises, an increase of 18.3% in the number of employees, but a decrease of 11.3% in registered capital compared to the same period in 2023.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the organization of the Forum with high determination and a strong spirit of innovation and creativity - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
3 goals, 7 breakthroughs in logistics industry development
Speaking at the Forum, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the organization of the Forum with high determination and a strong spirit of innovation. The report of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the opinions presented at the Forum fully and comprehensively assessed the results of the implementation of the national logistics development task in the period of 2017-2023; pointed out the shortcomings and limitations; proposed directions, goals and tasks for the coming period.
The Prime Minister emphasized a number of results and achievements in the development of Vietnam's logistics industry in recent times , first of all raising awareness of the position, role and importance of the logistics industry, of Vietnam's position on the world logistics map, and the ability to turn Vietnam into a world logistics center.
Along with that, the legal framework, mechanisms and policies continue to be improved; business conditions, administrative procedures and specialized inspections have achieved positive results, shifting strongly from pre-inspection to post-inspection.
The Prime Minister acknowledged and highly appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, ministries, sectors, localities, and the Vietnamese logistics business community, achieving important results, creating a new look for the logistics industry - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
Logistics infrastructure is developing rapidly with many large, modern projects, promoting a reasonable structure, harmoniously connecting transport modes, and reducing costs. In particular, road infrastructure has many breakthroughs, the expressway system has reached over 2,000 km. Vietnam is also determined to build a North-South high-speed railway, connecting railways with Laos and China. The airport system is developing relatively well. Inland waterway capacity is improved with 298 inland ports; forming gateway seaports, specialized wharves associated with industrial parks and industrial centers (with 286 ports, 95 km of wharves, 25 international routes...); completing separate cargo handling areas at airports; promoting investment in logistics centers (currently there are 69 large and medium-sized centers), shifting strongly to new generation centers applying 4.0 technology...
The number of logistics enterprises continues to increase, become modern, and become increasingly competitive. In 2023, there will be 7,919 newly established logistics enterprises; Vietnam ranks first in ASEAN in the number of enterprises licensed to transport by sea to and from the United States.
Logistics development tends to be more positive, promoting the diversification of transportation methods, gradually reducing dependence on road transport. Logistics human resource development is promoted; currently, the focus is on developing 3 levels of training (university and post-university; college, intermediate; short-term training) and 49 universities with logistics majors.
Many international rankings of Vietnam's logistics have improved. In 2023, Vietnam's Logistics Performance Index ranked 43/139 (ranked by the World Bank), component indices of international transport efficiency, infrastructure and customs efficiency have improved; Vietnam has been ranked among the top 5 ASEAN markets.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) and the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
On behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister acknowledged and highly appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, ministries, branches, localities, and the Vietnamese logistics business community, achieving important results, creating a new look for the logistics industry, and making important contributions to the overall achievements of the country.
However, in addition to the important achievements, there are still limitations and shortcomings related to the awareness of the logistics industry and the potential and position of Vietnam in this field. Logistics costs are still high, reducing the competitiveness of products, businesses and the economy; the scale of the industry compared to the scale of Vietnam's GDP and the scale of the global logistics industry (up to 9,000 billion USD) is still limited. Human resources are still weak and lacking; businesses are not developing strongly, there is no mechanism for development; the connection between transport modes and warehouses is still limited; logistics infrastructure is still backward.
The Prime Minister witnessed the signing of cooperation agreement on developing and improving the quality of logistics human resources between the Department of Industry and Trade of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province and the Vietnam Logistics Human Resources Development Association (VALOMA) – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
According to the Prime Minister, in the coming time, with the integration trend, international trade will increasingly develop; on the other hand, the world will face many national, comprehensive, global problems that no single country can solve.
Domestically, the new era of development and the promotion of exploitation of marine space, underground space, outer space, digital transformation, and the promotion of three strategic breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure, and human resources will also pose new requirements, while creating conditions to strongly promote the logistics industry, reduce time and costs, and enhance business competitiveness.
In that context, logistics services play an increasingly important role, making practical contributions to the country's development and integration, participating in solving global problems.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the development of the logistics industry must follow new trends such as digital transformation, green transformation, circular economy development, sharing economy, knowledge economy; in the spirit of "resources originating from thinking and vision, motivation originating from innovation and creativity, strength originating from people and businesses", "creativity to fly high, innovation to reach far, integration to develop".
The Prime Minister witnessed the cooperation agreement between the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA) and the Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB) – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
The Prime Minister clearly stated 3 goals for the development of the logistics industry, contributing to the major goal of national development : (i) Reducing logistics costs compared to Vietnam's GDP from 18% to 15% in 2025; (ii) increasing the proportion of Vietnam's logistics industry in GDP from 10% to 15% and striving to reach 20%; at the same time, increasing the proportion of Vietnam's logistics industry compared to the scale of the global logistics industry from 0.4% to 0.5% and striving to reach 0.6%; (iii) increasing the growth rate of Vietnam's logistics industry from the current 14-15% per year to 20%.
The Prime Minister emphasized 7 solutions for developing the logistics industry, which are also 7 breakthroughs to achieve the 3 set goals , contributing to achieving double-digit economic growth each year in the coming years.
Firstly , further raise awareness of the position, role and importance of the logistics industry and Vietnam's position in the center of the Asia-Pacific region to exploit and maximize the potential differences, outstanding opportunities and competitive advantages in the world logistics chain.
Second , create institutional breakthroughs in an open direction to develop the industry to its full potential, with the viewpoint that "institutions are the knot of knots" and "breakthroughs of breakthroughs".
Third , build a modern and smooth logistics infrastructure to reduce costs and increase product competitiveness, especially developing the aviation, maritime and high-speed railway industries.
Fourth , build smart management and train high-quality human resources for the logistics industry.
Fifth , promote integration, logistics diplomacy and modernize the domestic logistics industry.
Sixth , build and develop a free trade nation, while effectively managing and firmly protecting independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and maintaining an environment of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.
Seventh , close connection between modes of transport (air, maritime, rail, road and inland waterway) and connection with international traffic, with the world's free trade zones.
The Prime Minister requested that, based on their assigned functions, tasks and powers, agencies and localities actively and proactively implement solutions according to the 7 above-mentioned breakthrough solutions. In particular, the Ministry of Industry and Trade shall preside over and, together with ministries and branches, develop a logistics development strategy, a national free trade development project, and develop free trade zones at the border.
The Prime Minister stated that the Central Government promotes decentralization and delegation of power along with resource allocation, improves implementation capacity and strengthens inspection and supervision; localities enhance self-reliance, proactiveness, "locality decides, locality acts, locality takes responsibility", and supports business development.
The Prime Minister said that the Government will continue to promote its creative role, focusing on building strategies, planning, development plans, institutions, mechanisms, and policies, creating an open environment for development, designing tools for resource mobilization, monitoring, and inspection.
Prime Minister and delegates at the Vietnam Logistics Forum 2024 – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
The Prime Minister asked partners and businesses to enhance their initiative and creativity, participate in policy consultation, and build and perfect institutions in the spirit of "respecting practice, closely following practice, starting from practice, taking practice as a measure", and properly resolving the relationship between the State, the market and society.
The Prime Minister asked international friends and partners to continue building good relationships with Vietnam. Vietnam persistently and steadfastly implements its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralization, and is a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community, for the goal of peace, stability, cooperation, and development.
The Prime Minister respectfully thanks and requests enterprises, development partners, domestic and foreign investors to continue to join hands and accompany the Government, ministries, branches and localities, actively participate in the development of the logistics industry in the spirit of harmonious benefits and shared risks; harmonizing the interests between the State, people and enterprises; "listening and understanding together, sharing vision and action together, working together, winning together, enjoying together, developing together, sharing joy, happiness and pride".
The Prime Minister hopes and believes that, after the initial steps with very important achievements and premises, with the determination and drastic participation of all levels, sectors and the support of international friends, along with the acceleration, breakthrough, new mindset, new thinking in the new development stage of the country, the Vietnamese logistics industry, which is currently at its "young" age, will be confident and develop even more strongly. Vietnam will continue to strongly develop many high-quality logistics service centers associated with free trade zones, in which Ba Ria - Vung Tau must take the lead in this process, making important contributions to the development of the country in the era of rising up, developing richly and prosperously for the nation.
Ha Van - Chinhphu.vn
Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/thu-tuong-xay-dung-va-phat-trien-quoc-gia-thuong-mai-tu-do-102241202115630988.htm
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