Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has told outgoing Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director in Vietnam Tomoyuki Kimura that Vietnam highly values ADB’s support over the past years, especially in policy consultations, technical assistance and resource provision for the country’s growth.

During a meeting with Kimura in Hanoi on June 18, the Government leader said Vietnam targets rapid and sustainable economic growth with a well-controlled macro-economy.

The country will focus on economic restructuring, transforming the growth model and improving the efficiency and competitiveness of the economy, he said.

The PM noted that Vietnam ’s GDP growth for 2015 is predicted to reach 6.2 percent with a more stable macro-economy, adding that the country targets 6.5 percent in GDP growth for the 2016-20 period with policies to in develop the market economy and integrate internationally.

Together with socio-economic goals, Vietnam will work to ensure social equality and welfare as well as rapidly and sustainably reduce poverty, he said, expressing his hope that the ADB would continue partnering with Vietnam during the process.

For his part, Kimura said since his arrival to Vietnam in July 2011 when the world was struggling with global economic recession, he has witnessed Vietnam ’s tremendous success in coping with crises and maintaining its micro-economy, a high growth rate and adequate social welfares.

He pledged that the ADB will continue walking hand-in-hand with Vietnam during the country’s growth process.

During the meeting, the two sides also shared opinions on issues related to Vietnam ’s human resources development, public debts, official development assistance (ODA) and boosting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

PM Nguyen Tan Dung said during the country’s economic restructuring, Vietnam has continually backed SMEs. He stated that Vietnam considers education and high-quality human resources training key for rapid and sustainable development.

Vietnam has also controlled the borrowing and allocation of public debt with prioritised investment in socio-economic infrastructure development.

Currently, Vietnam ’s public debts are within a safe limit and are under control, he declared.

He also highlighted the necessity of ODA, affirming that the assistance is being well managed and effectively used towards growth targets, especially infrastructure building, poverty reduction and human resources development.-VNA