He chaired a government meeting in Hanoi on Friday to prepare agenda for the March 31 conference on measures to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Prime Minister said the conference needs to discuss how to disburse all public investment capital to create jobs and boost growth and domestic consumption. Another topic to be discussed is removing obstacles facing businesses, who the Prime Minister said are suffering the most with general corporations, both private and state-owned, being in stagnation. Some companies’ revenue in the first quarter was only 3-5% of the revenue they earned in same period last year.

Mr. Phuc urged for market expansion at home and abroad  in the context of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Agreement or the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. He also emphasized on the domestic market of 100 million people.

The upcoming government conference will discuss social security and livelihoods of policy beneficiaries as employees in Vietnam and all over the world are forced to take time off without pay.  The Prime Minister said the ultimate goal of growth and development is to improve people’s lives and he urged for considering relief packages to ensure social security, the minimum wage for workers, and a safe life for people.