STRIVING TO START A BUSINESS WORTHY OF THE HOMELAND OF "WORLD NATURAL WONDER"

Entrepreneur Luu Cong Thanh, CEO of Trung Thanh Trading Joint Stock Company, Chairman of the Quang Ninh Young Entrepreneurs Association. (Photo: http://hiephoidoanhnghiepquangninh.vn)

WAJ: In recent years, the entrepreneurship movement has grown throughout Vietnam, and the Quang Ninh Young Entrepreneurs Association is one of its pioneering organizations?

Chairman Luu Cong Thanh (QNYEA): "Quang Ninh is one of the provinces responding strongly to the call of the Prime Minister in the entrepreneurship movement. In 2016, the Prime Minister proposed designating 2016 as the "National Entrepreneurship Year". In April 2017, Quang Ninh province established the Investment and Entrepreneurship Club, becoming the second province in the country (after Bac Ninh) to respond to the Prime Minister's call. Up to now, the entrepreneurship movement in Quang Ninh province has always been at the forefront nationwide, actively contributing to the strong development of the national entrepreneurship movement."

WAJ: What is the special point in the activities of the Quang Ninh Young Entrepreneurs Association, sir?

Chairman Luu Cong Thanh (QNYEA): For more than two decades, the Quang Ninh Young Entrepreneurs Association has existed and grown. The Association's mission is to create a community of entrepreneurs and businesses in Quang Ninh Province that will support one another, create long-term value, and connect with entrepreneurs and businesses across the country and around the world. To achieve this goal, the Association organises annual activities such as visiting and learning from each other's business models; organising networking events; promoting trade between local businesses and those from other provinces and around the world; conducting training programmes, management courses, and business workshops to help business managers enhance their management capabilities; grasping the trends of the general economy to stay ahead; and seizing development opportunities. Furthermore, we believe that Quang Ninh entrepreneurs and firms may develop a shared business culture that reflects the unique qualities of entrepreneurs in the mining region.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh congratulates the 30th anniversary of the Vietnamese young entrepreneurs' movement. Entrepreneur Luu Cong Thanh (2nd from right) and the leadership team of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association. (Photo provided by character)

WAJ: Ha Long (Quang Ninh) is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Michael Porter's strategic theory describes this as a "unique, distinctive, and unparalleled" position. So, as the Chairman of the Quang Ninh Young Entrepreneurs Association, do you believe the Association's members have capitalised on this absolute edge, and on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rank their utilization of this advantage?

Chairman Luu Cong Thanh (QNYEA): The "unique, distinctive, unparalleled" nature of Ha Long Bay serves as both an asset and a huge challenge for young entrepreneurs and businesses in Quang Ninh. Members of the Association have nearly never disregarded this value that Ha Long provides. This has helped Quang Ninh become a neighbourhood with a highly diverse commercial sector, often likened to a miniature Vietnam. However, the problems it offers need entrepreneurs and enterprises in Quang Ninh to remain vigilant, as this distinctiveness draws a large number of investors. Entrepreneurs and businesses in Quang Ninh must always strive and have a broad vision to capitalise on the value that Ha Long delivers. Perhaps this is why, as compared to other provinces in the country, Quang Ninh has always had rapid economic development and a high adaptability to economic changes.

WAJ: According to you, have young entrepreneurs and businesses in Ha Long, Quang Ninh, effectively utilized and leveraged the power of their homeland on the international stage? And what are your missions and those of young entrepreneurs and businesses in Quang Ninh?

Chairman Luu Cong Thanh (QNYEA): Quang Ninh does not currently have any firms large enough to venture out into the world on their own. This is exactly the difficulty that entrepreneurs like us are continually working to solve. I cannot say what the Young Entrepreneurs Association's overall mission is, but I can say that every business in Quang Ninh views "expanding globally" as a primary priority. The Quang Ninh Young Entrepreneurs Association's strength stems precisely from this philosophy.

The University of Social Sciences and Humanities, National University of Hanoi, expresses gratitude to international experts and entrepreneur Luu Cong Thanh (first from the left). (Photo: USSH)

WAJ: The reality shows that although Ha Long has been recognized as one of the seven natural wonders of the world, there hasn't been a cohesive strategy to maintain and develop this in the international media. This is the responsibility of the authorities, but it's also the responsibility of young entrepreneurs and businesses in Ha Long, Quang Ninh, isn't it?

Chairman Luu Cong Thanh (QNYEA): It is true. To raise Ha Long's profile on a global scale, government officials, agencies, and enterprises have to work together. Ha Long is one of the world's seven natural wonders; therefore, promoting its importance is not just the responsibility of local governments or enterprises. I believe it will require the cooperation of the central government, particularly scientists, researchers, and media professionals from institutions such as the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. We have high expectations for this collaboration, as it will provide a strong platform for businesses in Quang Ninh to affirm the "unique, distinctive, and unparalleled" value of Ha Long and Vietnam as a whole.

WAJ: Thank you very much!