Increased exports have been adding to the risk of exhausted natural resources and environmental pollution, an official said.
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| Vietnam is heavily dependent on Chinese technology |
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Le Danh Vinh, addressed the issue at a national seminar on June 14. The seminar discussed sustainable trade policies for Vietnam during the 2011-2020 period.
Exports deplete natural resources
Vietnam’s export value sharply increased to USD72.19 billion last year, from just USD15 billion in 2001, Vinh said. Export revenues accounted for 70% of the country’s GDP in 2010, up from only 46% in 2001.
In 2001, the country recorded six export items with revenues of over USD1 billion. The figure soared to 18 items last year.
Vinh however noted that Vietnam’s exports over the past period have yet to become sustainable with a humble increase in their value.
According to the minister, export policies have just paid too much attention to quantity, rather than to quality and an efficient use of resources.
Prof and Dr. Do Duc Binh, from National Economics University agreed, saying research on sustainable exports should not just pay attention to short-term benefits. Greater efforts should be made to ensure long-term export benefits.
Increased exports in the short term would do nothing for the country except for bringing in hard foreign currency, Binh emphasised.
Exports would wipe out natural resources, cause environmental pollution and only serve exporters, he elaborated.
Dependent on backward technology
Experts said that Vietnamese goods are mainly exported to developed markets, while the country had mostly imported outdated machinery and technology.The dependence on outmoded technology had undermined competitiveness.
Pham Tat Thang, from the Institute for Commerce Research, said that machinery and equipment currently accounts for around 29% of imports, while material totals 63%, most of which are imported from China.
“The country is heavily dependant on technology. Drastic measures should be taken in order to attain sustainable development in the future,” Thang emphasised.
In order to discover a solution to the issue, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has proposed three main elements to guide the country’s imports. Priority should be given to the import of high-tech, advanced technologies, at the expense of luxury products and things that can be produced domestically.
Drastic measures must be taken to limit imports in a bid to protect local production.
According to the ministry, greater efforts should be made to prevent imports from ASEAN nations and China, along with seeking for new import markets.