The Hanoi People’s Council on July 8 opened the 10th session of the 14th tenure, during which a number of resolutions and reports on important issues will be scrutinised and approved.

Opening the function, Chairwoman of the council Ngo Thi Doan Thanh said the capital’s economy encountered an array of difficulties in the first half of 2014, which was partly due to the impact of China ’s illegal placement of the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam ’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

She noted that Hanoi ’s economic growth has slowed down compared to the same period last year and fallen behind the set target. Meanwhile, there remain many problems in urban management, land use, environmental protection and health care.

Standing Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Vu Hong Khanh reported that the city’s gross domestic product grew by 7.4 percent in the first six months, about 1.5 times higher than the national average.

He said in the last months of the year, local authorities will continue with efforts to remove difficulties for production and business activities and step up development investment.

During the 10 th session, the council’s members are expected to mull over several proposals submitted by the municipal People’s Committee including one on biodiversity conservation.

They will also discuss regulations on prices of some new medical services at local State-run medical establishments and fines for administrative violations in construction and culture.

The event, which will run through July 11, will hear reports summing up voters’ feedbacks and recommendations and the implementation of decisions made by the council at its previous session.-VNA