Economic target remains unchanged: Prime Minister
Hanoi (VNA) – The economic growth target for this year remains unchanged with two scenarios of 6 percent and
6.5 percent expansion for this year, affirmed Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at
a regular Government meeting held in Hanoi on July 1.
The meeting looked back at the socio-economic situation in the first half of
this year and discussed tasks for the rest of 2021, while reviewing legal regulations that are causing difficulties to COVID-19 prevention and
control activities so as to make timely adjustments.
It was reported at the
meeting that in the first sixth months of this year, the socio-economic
situation stayed stable with positive results in implementation of
the “dual targets”.
Gross domestic product
(GDP) growth reached 5.64 percent, much higher than the 1.82 percent recorded in
the same period last year, while inflation was kept at a low level and the
average consumer price index for six months rose 1.47 percent year on year.
Total import-export revenue hit 316 billion USD.
However, the report
forecast that Vietnam will continue to face difficulties and challenges in the
rest of the year, especially when the pandemic is developing complicatedly.
The Government held
that COVID-19 may continue to prolong and pose adverse impacts on socio-economic situation, with transport and tourism disrupted and social welfare affected.
They stressed the need for synergy and consensus of the Government, businesses
and people in effectively implementing the “dual targets”.
Concluding the
meeting, PM Chinh said that COVID-19 is being under good control, and people's life and businesses' operations are gradually returning to normal. Good signs were seen in other
socio-economic indications, which received positive assessments by international
financial institutions, he noted, adding that the macro-economy was stable and
the CPI was kept at the lowest level in many years, and people’s livelihood was
ensured. The defence-security situatio was firmly protected, while external relations
have been strengthened, particularly vaccine diplomacy was implemented actively, he
said.
The PM also pointed to
difficulties and weaknesses as well as reasons behind them. He held that in the time
to come, Vietnam will see both advantages and challenges with greater
difficulties.
He stressed the need
for the harmonious and appropriate implementation of monetary-fiscal policies and those in other fields to maintain macro-economic stability and
socio-economic development, as well as for the successful realisation of the vaccination strategy,
along with optimising advantages from free trade agreements, stimulating domestic demand, developing e-commerce and ensuring energy security.
The Government leader
asked ministries and sectors to keep up with measures to safeguard
defence, security and promote the vaccine diplomacy.
He also called on
people, enterprises and economic sectors to continue to accompany with and
support the Party, State and Government in overcoming the current difficulties
and challenges, thus successfully implementing the dual targets of controlling
COVID-19 and boosting socio-economic development at the same time./.