nCoV fight should not affect national development: PM

Drastic actions must be taken to fight the acute respiratory disease caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV), but they must not affect the country’s socio-economic development, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on February 5.
nCoV fight should not affect national development: PM ảnh 1The Government holds the regular meeting for January in Hanoi on February 5 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Drastic actions must be taken tofight the acute respiratory disease caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus(nCoV), but they must not affect the country’s socio-economic development,Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on February 5.

At the Government’s regular meeting for Januaryin Hanoi, he repeated that some economic growth could be “sacrificed” toprotect people’s health and lives.

Although Vietnam shares a long borderline andhas a great trading volume with China, where the nCoV is raging, the countryhas so far kept the epidemic under control. The country has recorded 10infected cases so far, with three of whom having fully recovered, and none ofthem are in life threatening condition, according to him.

In the spirit of fighting the disease like“fighting an enemy”, PM Phuc stressed the need for strong measures toconcurrently ensure growth and combat the nCoV.

He noted the nCoV outbreak has strongly affectedeconomic growth in Vietnam and other countries around the world, especially inthe fields of aviation, agriculture, securities, tourism, and export. Besides,the Lunar New Year holiday in January was long. As a result, gross domesticproduct (GDP) growth in the first quarter could be influenced considerably, hesaid, estimating that the growth rate for Q1 could reduce by 1 percent.

Though difficulties appeared right from theonset of 2020, the Government leader emphasised that the revision of the growthtarget for this year hasn’t been put on the table.

As quick response teams have been set up to copewith the nCoV, similar teams in terms of economy, finance and production shouldalso be established to respond to economic growth slowdown, he said, callingfor strong efforts to overcome difficulties to drive the Vietnamese economyforward to meet the people’s aspirations.

The PM requested sectors and localities to keepworking to ensure macro-stability and major economic balances and promoteproduction and production activities.

During the one-day meeting, Government memberswill discuss ways to combat the nCoV and achieve socio-economic developmenttargets at the same time.

They will listen to the Ministry of Healthreporting on the nCoV prevention and control, and the Ministry of Planning andInvestment reporting on growth scenario updates and proposing solutions tocarry out development tasks amid the nCoV outbreak. They will also discuss somedraft laws, resolutions and the law making programmes for 2020 and 2021./.
VNA

See more

At the ceremony marking the handover of duties at the Party Central Committee’s Office on February 7 (Photo: VNA)

Party Central Committee’s Office welcomes new chief

Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the committee’s Inspection Commission Nguyen Duy Ngoc on February 7 handed over the duties of the Chief of the committee’s Office to Secretary of the Party Central Committee Le Hoai Trung.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (right) and Thai Ambassador Urawadee Sriphiromya. (Photo: VNA)

PM welcomes new ambassadors of Pakistan, Thailand

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted separate receptions in Hanoi on February 7 for Pakistani Ambassador Kohdayar Marri and Thai Ambassador Urawadee Sriphiromya, who recently took up their diplomatic posts in Vietnam.

Vietnamese President Luong Cuong (R) and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev at their meeting in Hanoi on November 25, 2024 (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Bulgaria enjoy thriving ties through more than seven decades

Building on this tradition, over the past more than seven decades, both countries have made continuous efforts to enhance and consolidate bilateral relations through regular exchanges of high-level delegations, the establishment of the Intergovernmental Committee and regular political consultations, the implementation of numerous agreements and cooperative programmes, and mutual support at international forums.

Delegates attend banquet to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and DPRK (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

75th anniversary of Vietnam-DPRK diplomatic relations marked in Hanoi

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said the Vietnam-DPRK traditional friendship, nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung, has overcome historical challenges and been continuously strengthened by generations of Vietnamese and DPRK leaders.

Deputy Minister of Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien (R) receives Colonel S. Muthukrishnan, Indian Defence Attaché in Vietnam, at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Hanoi on February 6. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Vietnam, India enhance defence cooperation

The Deputy Minister suggested that both nations focus on implementing the exchange of delegations, especially high-level ones, and maintaining existing cooperation mechanisms, particularly in training programmes and defence industry collaboration.