Turning legal support policies into business benefits
Hai Phong has strengthened legal support to help businesses access policies, prevent risks, and enhance their competitiveness in production and business operations.
Standing alongside businesses
Developing the private sector and improving business competitiveness is one of Hai Phong’s key priorities. In which, legal support is considered a solution helping businesses comply with the law, proactively manage risks, and overcome obstacles in production and business activities.
In line with the Politburo’s Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW dated May 4, 2025 on private sector development, Hai Phong has gradually translated the policy into suitable programs and plans. On February 6, 2026, the city People’s Committee issued Plan No. 41/KH-UBND on legal support for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and household businesses in the city in 2026. This was followed by Plan No. 165/KH-UBND, issued on May 6, 2026 to implement an inter-agency legal support program for SMEs and household businesses during the 2026 – 2030 period.
The legal support efforts have already produced encouraging initial results. As part of administrative reform, 100% of judicial administrative procedures related to businesses are now available online through public digital services. The Department of Justice continues to operate its “Legal Support for Businesses” portal, featuring the AI chatbot Hai Phong Legal Assistant, an updated legal database, and an online system for receiving feedback and recommendations on legal documents.
The department also maintains its legal feedback system on both its official website and the city’s legal education portal. The platform enables businesses to submit comments and recommendations on legal normative documents, helping identify and remove institutional barriers.
At the same time, the city has publicly designated contact officers responsible for providing legal support to SMEs, household businesses, and individual business owners.
These results demonstrate that the city is gradually building a comprehensive policy and information platform to support businesses. However, the gap between having policies and actually benefiting from them still needs to be narrowed.
Measuring success through practical results
Do Thi Hanh, Director of SUNWARM THT Co., Ltd. in Dong Hai Ward, said that amid deeper international integration and rapid digital transformation, businesses need regular and timely legal support, particularly in labor, insurance, and taxation. Frequent regulatory changes make it difficult for companies to keep pace, increasing the risk of unintentional violations. She emphasized the need for dedicated officials at the grassroots level to provide direct and practical guidance.
Businesses have also proposed establishing legal support portals or sections in each locality, connected to the citywide system while clearly identifying responsible focal agencies. Issues within local authority should be resolved promptly at the grassroots level, while more complex matters should be referred to specialized departments.
In addition, the city is expected to strengthen connections with legal consultants, lawyers, and legal experts to provide more effective support while reducing the workload of local officials.
By 2030, Hai Phong is projected to have more than 98,000 active businesses, with SMEs continuing to serve as the backbone of the local economy. As legal issues in investment, manufacturing, and business become increasingly diverse and complex, legal support services will need to become faster, more responsive, and better aligned with real-world needs.
The priority, therefore, is not issuing more policy documents, but ensuring that existing policies are implemented effectively. Every policy should have a clear implementing agency, accountable personnel, beneficiaries, and measurable outcomes. As a result, businesses will gain a strong legal safeguard, operate more smoothly, and contribute to the city’s economic growth.
TUE MINH