Day: October 20, 2021

The second plenary session of the 15th National Assembly will open in Hanoi on October 20.

On the first working day of the session, participants are to spend one-minute of silence to commemorate dead victims of COVID-19.

Following the opening remarks by NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will deliver a report on the progress of the socio-economic development plan for 2021 and a draft plan for 2022. A verification report on the plans will be delivered by Chairman of the NA Economic Committee Vu Hong Thanh.

Chairman of the NA Committee for Social Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh is to present a report verifying the results of COVID-19 prevention and control measures and the implementation of Resolution No. 30/2021/QH15 on outcomes of the first session of the 15th National Assembly.

In the morning, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Do Van Chien is scheduled to deliver a report summarising ideas and requests from voters to the 15th NA’s second session, followed by a report read by Duong Thanh Binh, head of the NA Standing Committee’s Ombudsman Committee, on the supervision results of the settlement of requests that voters sent to the 11th session of the 14th NA.

In the afternoon, NA deputies will listen to Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc’s report on the State budget disbursement situation in 2021 and the estimate and allocation plan for 2022 as well as the State finance-budget plan for the 2022-2024 period, along with a verification report on the work.

Also in the afternoon, Inspector General of the Supreme People’s Procuracy Le Minh Tri will present a draft Law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung will also deliver a proposal on a bill on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the Statistics Law.

Later, the legislators will discuss the two bills in groups.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Localities with high vaccination rates may consider stopping the “three-on-the-spot” production model, said Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh on October 20.

He made the statement while chairing a national teleconfernece on goods circulation, passenger transport and production restoration in industrial production areas to ensure safe and flexible adaptation to and effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the event, the Ministry of Transport said it has built plans on restoring domestic flights in the period from October 21 to November 30 based on the outcomes of the pilot resumption of domestic flights from October 10-17.

Accordingly, a maximum of six flights each way daily will be allowed on the routes connecting Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi – Da Nang, and Da Nang – Ho Chi Minh City from October 21 – November 14, and the number will be raised to seven during November 15-30.

On other routes, the maximum will be four flights each way per day.

The frequency of flights by each airline on each route will be increased by one per day on November 1 and 15 if the average seat occupancy of all airlines on the route during the previous 7 days reached at least 75 percent.

Stressing the viewpoint of “safely and flexibly adapting to and effectively controlling COVID-19”, Deputy PM Thanh requested more domestic air routes to be reopened while rail and road transport maintained.

He asked localities, especially those classified as “green zones”, to step up measures against the pandemic, early detect infections, and prevent the formation of disease clusters.

He also told the Ministry of Transport to quickly complete and issue a plan for the operation of air and rail transport in the time ahead.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam is facing new and greater difficulties and challenges, requiring the country to promote the tradition of great national solidarity to overcome this tough time, stated National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue at the opening of the 15th NA’s second session in Hanoi on October 20.

The event was held in the form of video conference with connection to 62 NA deputy delegations in localities nationwide.

The NA leader noted that the fourth wave of COVID-19 has posed severe impacts on many sectors, seriously affecting production and business activities as well as the livelihoods and living conditions of people.

With a minus 6.17 percent year on year economic growth in the third quarter, the country’s economy expanded only 1.42 percent in the first nine months of this year, the lowest level since 2000, he said, adding that economic growth for the whole year is likely to reach only 2.5-3 percent, far below the target set by the NA at about 6 percent.

Thanks to the solidarity of the whole nation, social consensus and the active engagement of the entire political system as well as the support and trust of the people and assistance from the Vietnamese community abroad and international friends, COVID-19 has been put under control across the nation, he said.

Great national solidarity significant for Vietnam to overcome difficulties: NA leader hinh anh 2

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (Photo: VNA)

Meanwhile, the macro-economy has remained stable, and the agricultural sector has recorded strong growth and continued to be the backbone of the economy and social stability, said the NA leader.

He underlined that exports have surged over the same period last year, while inflation has been reigned in, State budget collection and major balances of the economy have been ensured, social welfare and security have received great attention, and national defence, security and social order have been maintained.

The top legislator briefed on the working programme of the second session, with two laws and five resolutions to be adopted, and five other bills along with the Government’s reports on a series of important issues to be tabled for discussion. Question-and-answer sessions will also be held.

The NA leader asked all legislators to show high sense of responsibility in the debate, speaking out voters’ opinions and deciding important matters.

Following the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivered a report on the results of the socio-economic development plan for 2021 and a draft plan for 2022.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam exported more than 5.7 million tonnes of steel products in the first nine months of 2021, a whopping 78.1 percent increase the same period last year, according to the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA).

The country produced over 24.8 million tonnes of steel during the period, nearly 22 million tonnes of which were sold, up 34.1 percent and 32.5 percent, respectively, year on year.

In the third quarter alone, steel output reached nearly 7.16 million tonnes, up 4 percent year on year, while steel sales slid 7 percent to over 6.2 million tonnes, as a result of social distancing measures imposed to stamp out the spread of COVID-19 in many major industrial cities and provinces.

The VSA reported that though Vietnam’s nine-month steel imports edged up just 1 percent in volume, to 14.9 million tonnes, the value surged 44 percent to 11 billion USD.

The association forecast the steel exports will regain growth momentum during the remaining months of the year following the removal of COVID-19 restrictions.

The steel industry also expects the new-generation Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), in which Vietnam is signatory to, and the recovery of production and construction will further fuel the growth.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The National Assembly (NA)’s Committee for Economic Affairs has asked the Government to carry out a pandemic response strategy that includes support for economic recovery and development.

The committee made the request in a report verifying the outcomes of the Government’s implementation of the socio-economic development plan for 2021 as part of the 15th NA’s second session that opened on October 20 morning.

The report, delivered by chairman of the committee Vu Hong Thanh, emphasised that the fight against COVID-19 has been carried out in a drastic, comprehensive, and timely manner, resulting in important outcomes, and that the governance of the macro-economy has reaped multiple successes this year.

However, it also demanded the Government to rectify the shortcomings in the COVID-19 prevention and control, and provide a detailed and practical report on supply chain disruptions and the shortages of workers and experts in some localities and industrial parks.

Pandemic response strategy should cover aid for economic recovery: NA committee hinh anh 2

Chairman of the NA’s Committee for Economic Affairs Vu Hong Thanh. (Photo: VNA)

The Government was asked to map out solutions to workers leaving big provinces and cities, measures for attracting them back to their workplaces, and ways to create jobs for those who have returned to their hometowns.

For the remaining months of 2021, the NA’s Committee for Economic Affairs requested the Government to exert utmost efforts to combat COVID-19, protect people’s health and lives, and quickly address difficulties and obstacles.

The Cabinet also needs to strongly promote the disbursement of public investment capital, guarantee social security, reopen schools, and promptly prepare a programme on economic recovery and development to be submitted to the NA.

It should consider the feasibility of the GDP growth target of 6 – 6.5 percent for next year and give a more detailed and persuasive explanation of the budget overspending and export – import balance, according to the committee.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has presented to the National Assembly a draft socio-economic development plan for 2022 which aims for a GDP growth of at about 6-6.5 percent in 2022.

The PM delivered the plan at the second session of the 15th National Assembly which opened on October 20.

The Government’s socio-economic development plan for next year sets forth 16 key targets regarding economy, social affairs and the environment, including keeping the consumer price index (CPI) growth at around 4 percent and State budget overspending over GDP at 4 percent.

To realise those goals, the Government has outlined major tasks and solutions, focusing on implementing the master strategy on pandemic prevention and control, with a roadmap on safe, flexible adaptation to and effective control of COVID-19.

Vietnam targets 6-6.5 GDP growth in 2022 hinh anh 2

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA)

According to the PM, 2022 is a significant year as it creates a foundation for the implementation of the 2021-2025 plan.

The PM also reported to the NA the implementation of the 2021 socio-economic development plan. He stressed that the Government has focused efforts on fighting the pandemic in the spirit of giving first and foremost priority to protecting the health and life of the people, while drawing up a roadmap on safe, flexible adaptation to and effective control of the pandemic to deal with its consequences and boost socio-economic recovery and development.

The Government has adjusted fiscal and monetary policies and others in a flexible fashion to maintain macro-economic stability, ensure major economic balances and spur production and businesses, Chinh said.

He added that the Government has also worked to accelerate public investment disbursement, boost export and prioritise the implementation of mechanisms and policies supporting businesses and people.

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Do Van Chien proposed the Party and the State adjust and increase pensions for those who retired before 1995.

The Government should instruct ministries and agencies to quickly complete administrative procedures so as to early start the implementation of three national target programmes.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

It is necessary to build an economic stimulus package that is big enough to ensure economic recovery and social security, Chairman of National Assembly (NA)’s Committee for Finance and Budget Nguyen Phu Cuong said on October 20.

Cuong made the suggestion at the second session of the 15th NA which opened in Hanoi on October 20 morning.

He emphasised that economic recovery and creation of resources to ensure social security are urgent and important tasks, especially in the context of a sharp drop in GDP in the third quarter. Thus, the deployment of the stimulus package aimed at restoring the economy and creating impetus for growth is a must, he said.

Earlier Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc presented a report on the implementation of the state budget in 2021, the state budget estimate and central budget allocation plan for 2022 and the three-year finance – state budget plan for 2022 – 2024.

The total state budget revenue in 2021 is forecast to surpass the estimate. However, many important collections did not meet or just exceed the estimate. The central budget revenue shortfall will be about 28-29 trillion VND (1.23 billion USD -12.8 billion USD).

Regarding the State budget expenditure in 2021, the state budget has so far spent 30.85 trillion VND on pandemic prevention and control since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

Cuong pointed out that there are still some limitations in the implementation of the 2021 public investment plan such as the disbursement from the beginning of the year hasn’t reached the desired target and is lower than the same period last year.

Referring to the state budget revenue estimate in 2022, Cuong mentioned the need to take into account the decrease in revenue because the exemption, reduction and extension of taxes, fees and charges are likely to be renewed in case the pandemic continues to have a negative impact on production and business.

The state budget spending should be strictly complied with the Constitution and State Budget Law, he said.

Source: Vietnam News Agency