Members of the Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Council have proposed a range of measures to help businesses in the northern province overcome difficulties, including reductions to land and water surface rental fees.

They also suggested increasing support for businesses and cooperatives in digital transformation at a Council meeting on July 10 to discuss the province’s socio-economic development in the first half of 2023.

Addressing the meeting, Chairman of the Quang Ninh Association of Businesses Pham Van The proposed the provincial People’s Committee study the establishment of up a fund for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to help them obtain credit at preferential interest rates.

Some meeting participants said it is necessary to adopt sustainable policies to help businesses overcome the difficulties and challenges in the market as well as activities to boost demand and motivate enterprises.

In the first half of the year, 1,272 businesses registered to temporarily suspend operations, a year-on-year increase of 12 per cent, while 280 were dissolved, up 6 per cent.