Pandemic-related difficulties ‘temporary,’ PM assures American firms

Chinh was responding to the wish expressed by the businesses at a Saturday meeting that anti-pandemic measures should ensure production and circulation of goods.

They said that while they had long-term interest in Vietnam and wanted to expand their business, they have in recent times grappled with many difficulties in maintaining the supply chain, transporting goods, organizing production, granting work and domestic travel permits for experts as well as accessing vaccine supply.

Administrative procedures, taxes and fees continued to be a problem, they added.

The PM said "these are only temporary difficulties, the Vietnamese government is trying to implement many solutions to control and repel the outbreak."

He said anti-pandemic measures have been uniformly implemented nationwide, but some localities have imposed some inappropriate regulations that have hindered the flow of goods.

The government would ask localities to remove inappropriate regulations to ensure smooth flow of goods across the country. Trucks would be only checked at departure and destination points and must ensure pandemic prevention measures, he said.

Though the government has directed local authorities to prioritize transport of essential goods, regulations were not consistent and many localities require travel permits and negative Covid certificates from truck drivers, he acknowledged.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam had proposed last month that the government prioritizes vaccination for southern industrial centers like HCMC, Binh Duong and Dong Nai to avoid of supply chain disruptions.

Vietnam is experiencing a severe Covid-19 wave that has recorded nearly 507,000 infections since the end of April, with HCMC as its epicenter.