HCMC – The Vietnamese people should prioritize their purchasing locally-made goods, as it is the best way to promote local production and develop the market, thus protecting local consumers’ rights, said Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung.

At a conference in Hanoi on August 2 to review the 10-year implementation of the campaign “Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods,” Deputy PM Dung said the campaign has helped the Government, ministries, agencies and localities improve their policies to encourage local enterprises to expand operations, apply advanced technology to improve the quality and competitiveness of their products and services, and reduce product prices, the Government news website reported.

In addition, it has created trust in Vietnamese goods, among both Vietnamese consumers at home and abroad and foreigners.

According to Dung, export, local consumption and investment are the three main factors boosting local economic growth. Of these, local consumption is extremely important in fostering production and creating jobs for local laborers.

The promotion of production will help increase local laborers’ incomes. Therefore, the campaign should be considered a long-term task, the deputy prime minister added.

He also asked State management agencies to issue preferential policies and develop infrastructure to ensure that conditions remain favorable for manufacturers and consumers. Additionally, they should enhance the restructuring of sectors and enterprises.

It is also important to develop incentives for consumer support funds and local producers, establish high standards, in accordance with international commitments to gradually control imported products and market stability, and build brands for locally-made products.

Dung also required strengthening the market management, and enforcing laws regarding the trading of counterfeit products, violations of intellectual property and illegally-imported commodities.

Meanwhile, enterprises must create products with high quality and competitive prices, while developing their distribution networks.

Speaking at the conference, Tran Quoc Vuong, Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Secretariat, praised the efforts of agencies and enterprises in pursuing the campaign.

However, more challenges lie ahead, such as growing competition in the domestic market, especially when the country has participated in multiple bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements, he added.

Moreover, the dramatic development of science and technology has affected the production, business and consumption of products, while consumers have more choices and stricter requirements for products, Vuong said.

Therefore, enterprises need to continuously apply advanced technologies in production to improve the quality of products. Vietnamese products must meet requirements in environmental protection, safety, quality and competitive prices, to dominate local markets and become deeply integrated into international markets.

Tran Thanh Man, president of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, noted that the Politburo launched the campaign 10 years ago to promote patriotism and the production of made-in-Vietnam products with high quality and increased competitiveness, in a bid to meet the demand for local consumption and export.

The campaign has contributed to achieving economic growth targets, curbing inflation, stabilizing the macroeconomy and balancing supply and demand.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, made-in-Vietnam products account for at least 90% of the total volume of products at domestic supermarkets and over 60% at traditional markets and convenience stores.

Vietnam has enjoyed a trade surplus, instead of a trade deficit. Specifically, the country had a trade surplus of US$7.2 billion last year, while recording a trade deficit of US$12.5 billion in 2010.