The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) is finalising guidelines to launch a preferential credit programme worth around 220 trillion VND (nearly 8.4 billion USD) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in priority sectors, Deputy Governor Pham Thanh Ha said at the Government's regular press conference on August 3.

Private enterprise has been identified as one of the key drivers of growth. Viet Nam requires strong corporations with regional and global scale. These are expected to become the national champions that guide small and medium-sized enterprises, and the economy as a whole.