The eighth and second last session of the 12th National Assembly began in Hanoi on October 20, focusing their discussions on socio-economic tasks and State spending in 2010 as well as future plans and the budget estimate for 2011.

NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong opened the session by saying that during the session which will last until November 26, the NA deputies will hear and discuss the Government’s reports on the implementation of the NA’s resolution on pilot programme of no longer organising the people’s councils at ward, district and precinct levels and reports on addressing voters’ complaints.

The deputies will also consider other government reports on verdict execution, amnesties, fighting against crimes and political security. Reports on the Dung Quat Oil Refinery project and the operation of the Vietnam Shipping Industry Group (Vinashin) will also be on the agenda.

Also during the eighth session, the deputies will discuss draft documents to be submitted to the 11 th National Party Congress.

Apart from giving opinions to nine draft bills, the NA plans to approve nine others related to the environmental protection tax, inspections, public servants, administrative procedures, consumer interests, minerals, insurance, securities and the elections for NA deputies and people’s councils. Several important resolutions, including one on socio-economic development for 2011 and taxes on agricultural land use, will also be passed.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung presented a report on socio-economic development in 2010 and the tasks for 2011, stating that although the global economy has been gradually recovering from the crisis, Vietnam ’s economy evaded a recession and actually recorded a fairly high growth rate with the GDP for 2010 increasing by 6.7 percent, exceeding the NA’s target.

According to the PM, the macro-economy has improved and social security and welfare have been ensured despite the economical difficulties. Positive results have also seen in the fields of science and technology, environmental protection, administrative reforms and the fight against corruption. The socio-political situation has been kept stable while national defence and security consolidated and external relations expanded, helping to raise the country’s standing in the world arena.

PM Dung also pointed out some of the shortcomings and weaknesses in the economy and put forward solutions for 2011. The major tasks are to keep the macro-economy stable, ensure major balances of the economy, continue to improve the investment environment, raise the efficiency of investments and combine developing production with economic restructuring.

The government also set out major socio-economic targets for 2011, including a GDP growth rate of between 7-7.5 percent and an export turnover of 74.8 billion USD or a 10 percent year on year increase. The country will try to keep the trade deficit to below 20 percent, reduce the rate of poor families by 2 percent and generate 1.6 million jobs./.