Our nation’s economy is in the process of deeper integration into global economy through the free trade commitments and treaties signed with nations and international organizations. Aside from the expanded market and win-win business cooperation, the requirements of domestic protection are both sensible and contributive to elevate prestige of the enterprises in the process of integration and development.
Determination against fakes
At recent meeting with Binh Duong Provincial People’s Committee, Nguyen Quang Vu, Chair of Binh Duong Association of Shoes informed of the overuse of many workers obliged with various important skills by laws in garments and shoe-making industries; however, those industries are suffering from fakes mainly by illegal importation from neighboring nations and fake production.
Those workers in some of the garment and shoe-making companies may quit their positions to organize their own production facilities of the same shapes and brands faking the genuine products. Those products are ineligible for exportation as they are fakes but they are favored by domestic market for lower prices, as no taxes are paid and no assurance are made regarding brand-names and safety, than many times comparing to the same type products.
Garments are easily faked and more attention should be made to protect this kinds of products. In this photo: Garment-making is on-going at Panko Vina at My Phuoc Industrial Park in Ben Cat Town. Photo: D. Chi
Vu analyzed the fact that fakes cause damages to not only the consumers and the State’s budget but also to production operations of genuine enterprises. Moreover, fakes are causing trust damage among investors and smear the nation image during the integration process.
Regarding the mentioned issues, Nguyen Thanh Danh, Deputy Director of Binh Duong Provincial Market Control Department, disclosed of many efforts in fighting fakes; however, the limited personnel failed to response.
“Many a time, we have invited enterprise representatives to our conferences that have failed due to their refusal. In the meantime, foreign enterprises are much concerned of copy-rights and authorship; and, they are present at our conferences. The lesson here is that we must protect ourselves before anything could happen,” said Danh.
Firm stance at domestic market
Sculpture and lacquer, under over 100 years of establishment of art school in Thu Dau Mot, have been the tradition industry in Binh Duong Province as affirmed by an unnamed representative of Association of Sculpture and Lacquer. On establishment of the art school, modern materials were introduced whereas the French colony had paid much attention in promotion of local traditions. The onsite paint (domestic paint) was an example. Many products of domestic paint had last for hundreds of years even under the buried conditions. The weakness was that it could not be compared to Western paint regarding the colors and making processes which require skillful workers. Besides, the domestic paint is ten folds higher in prices than Western paint, making it harder for competition.To promote the strengths and overcome the drawbacks, Binh Duong Provincial Association of Sculpture and Lacquer has proposed to Binh Duong Provincial People’s Council for supporting policies for technology application to bring lacquer to higher heights of attractiveness and value to compete with other products. Besides, intellectual registration should be simplified to 1-year registration to undermine the illegal faking causing death to the preborn works.
Department of Science and Technology, on receiving the proposals, has requested for the association to set up project as the foundation for supports. For successful integration instant, experts asserted that the products should initially be well-known at its birth place where they are guaranteed of production for sustainable development.
Reported by Duy Chi – Translated by Vi Bao
