Major targets for first quarter reached: PM

An overview of the meeting (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Major targets for the first quarter of 2023 were basically reached, with political security, macro-economic stability and major economic balances maintained, inflation controlled, security-defence and social order ensured, and external relations and international integration strengthened, stated Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Despite difficulties in the world situation, the living conditions of the people continued to be improved, the PM said while chairing the Government’s online meeting with 63 localities nationwide and the Cabinet’s regular meeting on April 3.

He noted that Vietnam rose 12 places to the 65th position in the world happiness index in the UN World Happiness Report 2023.

In the first quarter of this year, the country’s GDP growth was estimated at 3.32%. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 4.18% but the increasing pace is slowing down. 

At the same time, State budget collection was equivalent to 30.3% of the yearly estimate, while trade surplus reached 4.07 billion USD, doubling that of the same time last year.

Good signal was seen in the tourism sector, which served nearly 2.7 million international visitors in the first three months, 29.7 times higher than that in the same period of 2022.

In the period, over 84 trillion VND from the socio-economic recovery and development programme was disbursed, along with over 73 trillion VND of public investment capital, or 10.35% of the plan, as of March 31.

The Government leader attributed the results to the strong leadership of the Party, the joint efforts of the whole political system and the support of the people and the assistance of international friends.

Cabinet members at the meeting (Photo: VNA)

However, PM Chinh pointed to shortcomings which have been revealed during the implementation of tasks in the first three months of this year.

After analysing reasons behind them along with lessons drawn, the PM told leaders of ministries, sectors and localities to work harder and optimise all resources for development, while firmly maintaining administrative disciplines, and proposing ideas to deal with arising problems.

He again reiterated the goals of controlling inflation, maintaining macro-economic stability, promoting growth, and ensuring major balances of the economy, and assigned specific tasks to ministries and agencies.

The PM asked leaders of ministries, sectors and localities to further promote their leadership role and strive to complete all targets and tasks given by the Party and State./.

VNA