Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (standing) speaks at the meeting on April 13 (Photo: VNA)

At a meeting on April 13 to discuss preparations for the upcoming event, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the pandemic has had a major impact on the business community, especially the tourism, transport, and hospitality industries. Not only major enterprises and State-owned firms but also private companies and co-operatives, and particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, have encountered numerous difficulties.

Therefore, he said, it is necessary for all authorities and all sectors to provide timely support while businesses themselves also need to work harder to stimulate growth.

Applauding the aid packages from ministries and sectors along with moves by localities to address obstacles, the PM said the conference is essential to hear enterprises’ opinions, review the effect of the aid packages, deal with problems hindering operations, and create more favourable conditions for business activities to resume.

In addition to the top priority of protecting people’s health and lives, the second most important task for the Government now is to protect businesses and prevent an economic collapse, the PM said.

He underlined the need to create a better business climate and eradicate red tape, which may hamper development.

He stressed that the first “front” is fighting the pandemic, in which each person is a soldier. Businesses and entrepreneurs are soldiers on the second front - economic development./.VNA