(VOVworld) – The National Assembly on Tuesday began a two and a half day Q&A session with Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh answering questions on a number of pressing issues including inefficient investment projects, the management of hydropower stations, and measures to reduce trade deficit.
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Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh takes the stage to answer National Assembly deputies' questions (photo: VOV)
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“Vietnam is oriented toward multilateral relations in international integration. In order to achieve a trade balance, we need to improve the competitiveness of sectors, simplify administrative procedures, create favorable conditions for business, and issue relevant regulations and standards”, Minister Tran Tuan Anh said.
Regarding 5 projects which lost hundreds of millions of USD from the state budget, Mr. Tran Tuan Anh elaborated “Solutions should be comprehensively discussed to retain capital in line with the market economy. The projects can be sold, leased, equitized, or declare bankruptcy. Such problems must be prevented in the future and the responsibility of individuals and organizations should be determined. We need to reform the management of state-owned enterprises and define their role in economic development with the view that the state doesn’t need to invest in all sectors.”
Mr. Tran Tuan Anh said Vietnam has exploited almost all its hydropower potential with 336 plants nationwide. The Ministry of Industry and Trade will review hydropower plant water release procedures, flood prevention measures, and other safety regulations.
The same day, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Tran Hong Ha outlined Vietnam’s solutions in reponse to climate change. “Vietnam has worked with other countries to design a development blueprint for the Mekong River Delta, covering the sea, saline and fresh water ecologies. For the south-central region, priority will be given to restoring the mangro-forest ecology and building reservoirs to secure water resources”, Minister Ha said, adding that following the Prime Minister’s decision to close natural forests, the Government will focus on afforestation, replanning of underground water sources and building reservoirs in the Central Highlands.
Minister Tran Hong Ha stressed his Ministry will develop comprehensive planning on the environment and build inter-provincial and inter-regional hazardous waste treatments sites. “We will propose revising the law on environmental protection and some provisions on investment and business law. Projects with environmental pollution risks must have the participation of scientists from different sectors to assess any possible environmental impact. Regular inspection must also be intensified”, Minister Ha assured lawmakers.
He said his Ministry is working on a sea environment surveillance system for four central provinces, and pushing businesses to speed up the construction of waste treatment plants in the region.