PM: Economic, financial policies remain unchanged in 2018

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Photo: VGP

 Gov’t will no longer grant licenses for waste imports

Changes will not be made to environmental taxes on oil and petroleum products, value  added tax, and prices of some public services and commodities such as electricity and healthcare, the PM added. 

Regarding the performance of the economy, the Government chief highlighted that four fundamental macro-economic indicators have been maintained, consisting of GDP growth, price stabilization, job creation and reduction of unemployment and net exports. 

The economy began to accelerate since the second quarter thanks to the Government’s efforts in institutional building and improvements of labor productivity and innovation, said PM Phuc.

Remarkably, unemployment fell to record low of 2.2%, according to the PM. 

He, however, pointed out several potential challenges and risks caused trade, tax and monetary policy adjustments of big countries while natural disasters still remain complicated, posing negative impacts on the economy.

Against that backdrop, PM Phuc affirmed the Government will continue focusing on macro-economic stabilization, controlling inflation, and consolidating business trust.

He also urged inferior levels to maintain growth momentum and attach importance to environmental issues, social order and safety.

As equitization and rearrangement of State owned enterprises remain slow, PM Phuc asked for publicizing the list of localities that have delayed the process and tasked his working group to work with those localities to beef up the process.

PM Phuc also tasked the Ministry of Transport to promptly classify and remove thousands of containers of waste that are making ports congested for years./.

By Thuy Dung