Press digest – November 14

NA passes State budget allocation

The National Assembly adopted a resolution on State budget allocation for 2017 on November 14 in Ha Noi.

With 405 votes in favor (82.15%), the NA approved  the resolution which stipulated VND 729,730 billion (US$ 33.1 billion) as central budget revenue and VND 428,450 billion (US$ 20 billion) as local budget revenue.

14th National Assembly: First hearing begins on November 15

The 14th National Assembly is slated to begin Question & Answer session on November 15, which will be broadcast live on national television and radio. 

During the hearing sessions, to take place through two days and a half, the Ministers of Industry and Trade, Natural Resources and Environment, Education and Training, and Home Affairs will field questions on issues of public concern under their charge. 

Other ministers and officials, as well as Deputy Prime Ministers in charge of discussed fields, will be called to give further explanation. 

PM calls for Japanese prefecture’s more investment in VN

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Governor of Japan’s Mie prefecture Eikei Suzuki on November 14, saying he wants Mie to invest in the industries it has advantages in such as cargo machinery, electronics and chemical production in Viet Nam. 

At the meeting in Hanoi, PM Phuc noted the strong and substantive development of the Viet Nam-Japan extensive strategic partnership, adding the enhancement of locality-to-locality cooperation is critical to bilateral ties. 

VN, Russia boost deployment of key projects

Deputy PM Trinh Dinh Dung paid a working visit to Russia from November 13-14 to accelerate implementation of key economic projects between the two countries.

During the talks between Deputy PM Dung and Russian First Deputy PM Igor Ivanovich Shuvalov, the two sides discussed measures to beef up the bilateral economic and trade ties.

MoIT abolishes 471 hydro-electricity projects

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has terminated eight terraced hydropower stations and 463 small hydro-electricity plants.

The MoIT also decided not to consider 213 other potential positions for hydro-electricity development in the next three years and review the implementation of Resolution 62/2013/QH13 on strengthening management of the construction planning, investment, operation and exploitation of hydro-power plants.  

Government drafts thrift practice, wastefulness prevention plan

The Ministry of Finance is drafting a Government’s decision on a master plan for practicing thrift and preventing wastefulness for the 2016-2020 period, with specific regulations on economical spending in some budget-using areas.

Major objective of the plan is to continue the project on economic restructuring in line with growth model transformation and other restructuring projects of sectors towards better quality and efficiency.

It also aims to restructure the State budget, implementing tight fiscal policies that work synchronously and effectively with currency policies to ensure the macro economy stability.

VN among world’s top three countries ending tuberculosis

Viet Nam is one of the three leading countries in terminating the global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) praised Viet Nam’s TB prevention work, said Deputy Minister of Health Le Quang Cuong at a national conference on TB and lung disease training on November 14 in Ha Noi.

President leaves HN for Cuba visit

President Tran Dai Quang left Hanoi on November 14 for an official visit to Cuba from November 15-17 at the invitation of President of the Cuban Council of State and Council of Ministers Raul Castro.

Viet Nam and Cuba ’s relations have been developed in numerous fields since they established diplomatic ties in December 1960.

Cuba attaches importance to all-around ties with Viet Nam, especially in agriculture, construction, education, health, biotechnology, transport, and sports.

Vietnam, seventh in global consumer confidence: Nielsen

Viet Nam was ranked seventh worldwide in consumer confidence by the Nielsen Vietnam Index of Consumer Confidence. 

According to the third quarter Nielsen report, Viet Nam’s consumer confidence index was 107 points. 

Job stability was the top life priority for Vietnamese people in the quarter, followed by health and work-life balance./.

(Source: VGP/VOV/VGP)