Lao Dong reporter had an interview with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thuong Lang - an economic expert on logistics development solutions in the coming time.
Sir, in the context of increasing trade protection, countries tightening technical and tariff barriers, what is the role of logistics for Vietnamese export goods today?
- Reducing logistics costs - a significant part of the cost that constitutes the export price of goods regardless of the condition of delivery - CIF or FOB - is of particular importance, contributing to reducing export goods costs, improving price competitiveness, maintaining and expanding the market. This is a particularly important measure to adapt proactively, actively, substantively, and effectively to technical barriers, tax and non-tariff protection measures.
Vietnam's logistics costs are still much higher than in developed countries. How does this affect the competitiveness of Vietnamese export businesses, especially in the current tax context?
- With high logistics costs compared to developed countries, the competitiveness of Vietnamese businesses is significantly reduced in terms of costs, prices and the ability to mobilize resources for innovation, research and development, brands and the ability to build cost-effective supply chains. This is also a major obstacle for businesses in expanding their scale in the long term and is also a factor increasing the possibility of businesses withdrawing from the market if there are adverse fluctuations. At the same time, it significantly limits the ability to accumulate capital, human resources, technology, and management experience to invest in the development of Vietnam's logistics industry.
With the goal of sustainable export development in the coming period, do you have policy recommendations for logistics development?
- Logistics development policy in the coming period needs to focus on thoroughly promoting the impact of logistics on improving business competitiveness, developing both the breadth and depth of the domestic logistics market, actively, positively, comprehensively and substantively integrating with the world; rapidly developing the industry according to digital standards, greening, restructuring the logistics industry combined with promoting the development of the industry to new levels and scope in the new period. Paying attention to building an independent, self-reliant, modern, civilized and intelligent logistics industry with the lowest possible cost to contribute to balancing the logistics service balance towards surplus.
Therefore, a logistics industry ecosystem needs to be built scientifically, suitable to Vietnam's conditions, taking into account the latest advances in the industry in the world, exploiting the driving force of innovation, advances in big data technology, internet, artificial intelligence and automation synchronously with environmental - social - governance (ESG) standards, net emissions equal to "0" by 2050.
Completing the legal system for developing the logistics industry on the basis of positioning this as a fundamental industry and an industry that constitutes the technical - service infrastructure of the economy to have appropriate policies and an environment to encourage breakthrough development. It is necessary to attach importance to investing in developing logistics facilities such as seaports, dry ports, transshipment stations, junction points, airports, highways, high-speed railways serving freight transport, sea, inland waterways, pipelines, online logistics network infrastructure, logistics centers in the North, Central, South, major economic centers, international border gates and the whole country.
Along with that is the development of high-quality human resources in the logistics industry: In-depth managers, policy makers, experts, scientists, and human resources. drastically improving the business environment towards transparency, clarity, simplification, automation, digitization, minimizing unofficial costs, saving time to further motivate development for stakeholders in the logistics industry.
Thank you very much, sir!
