The opening session of the 3rd meeting of the 15th National Assembly on Monday (photo: VNA

Notable achievements

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh said that Vietnam has effectively implemented a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign to be one of the world’s six countries with the highest vaccination coverage rate. As a result, the number of new COVID-19 cases, severe cases, and deaths has decreased significantly since the end of March. Getting the epidemic under control has strengthened the confidence of people and businesses, an important factor in socio-economic recovery and development.

The GDP in Quarter 1 grew 5.03%, which was faster than in 2020 and 2021. Services and tourism have rebounded quickly. The government created an Action Program to implement the National Assembly’s Resolution on Economic Restructuring for 2021-2025, with resources focused on strategic infrastructure, including transportation infrastructure, according to Mr. Thanh.

“The government has quickly rolled out the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Program which  includes incentive interest rates, value-added tax exemptions and reductions for businesses, and incentive house rental rates for employees. National road construction has been accelerated. The eastern North-South Expressway project for the 2021-2025 period is on schedule. The Government has submitted to the National Assembly investment projects for several expressways: Chau Doc – Can Tho – Soc Trang, Bien Hoa – Vung Tau, Khanh Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot, ring road 3 in Ho Chi Minh City, and ring road 4 in Hanoi.”

In the first 4 months of the year, 80,500 enterprises were established or resumed operation, up nearly 27% from the previous year.

Bilateral and multilateral external affairs and international integration have been actively and systematically pursued and international economic integration and economic diplomacy continue to be promoted.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh  (photo: VNA)

Creating strong changes for socio-economic development

The Government says domestic and international developments are making it a big challenge to achieve this year’s socio-economic goals, particularly economic growth of 6-6.5%. But the Government is determined to build a self-reliant, independent economy while actively pursuing global integration

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh says that in order to achieve its targets, the Government will concentrate on controlling the pandemic, quickly recovering the economy, and implementing Party resolutions on land, collective economy, cooperatives, agriculture, farmers, and rural areas.

The Government will flexibly manage monetary, fiscal, and other policies to stabilize the macro-economy, balance the economy, and curb inflation. Ministries, sectors, and localities will focus on implementing key national projects, like completing the 1st phase of building 360 km of the eastern North-South expressway this year, starting the 2nd phase in Quarter 4, and building the runway and terminal at Long Thanh International Airport.

Deputy Prime Minister Thanh talked about activities in the coming months: “Vietnam will continue to promote the development of the digital economy and the circular economy, boost domestic production capacity, take advantage of signed new-generation free trade agreements, and develop processing, manufacturing, and support industries.”

According to Mr. Thanh the Government will continue to restructure agricultural production, promulgate mechanisms and policies to encourage private investment in agricultural processing and export, support small-scale cross-border export, strongly promote the transition to clean, renewable energy, and enhance regional connectivity and urban development.