Weekly digest – January 3-10
Gov’t figures out key tasks and solutions for 2016
The Government has issued a Resolution on major tasks and solutions guiding and directing the realization of the Plan for socio-economic development and state budget estimate in 2016.
Major criteria consist of the GDP growth rate of 6.7%, the total export turnover up 10%, trade deficit under 5% compared to the total export value, consumer price index below 5%, total social development capital making up 31% of the GDP, poverty rate down by 4% and healthcare coverage upto 76%.
Grand ceremony marks first general election anniversary
A meeting was held on January 6 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first national General Election to elect deputies to the National Assembly (NA) of Viet Nam (January 6, 1946 – January 6, 2016).
The Party Chief affirmed that after 70 years and 13 sessions, the NA has effectively realized its functions, tasks and rights as regulated in the Constitution and the laws.
As the highest agency representing the people and the nation’s most powerful state agency, the NA needs to bring into full play the achievements made over the past 70 years and improve the quality and effectiveness of its operation to meet the national development requirements in the future, he added.
DPM holds phone talks with U.S. Secretary of State
Deputy PM, FM Pham Binh Minh on January 6 held a phone talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss the bilateral relations and issues of regional and mutual concerns.
The two leaders discussed issues in the Asia-Pacific, including the East Sea issue, supposing that the ASEAN-U.S. relations have made great progress in 2015, especially after establishing the Strategic Partnership relations.
In the future, the ASEAN nations and the U.S. need to actively cooperate to develop the relationship, they said.
Urgent projects get more capital
The PM has decided to take VND1,072 billion from the central budget reserves in 2015 for localities and the Ministry of Transport to launch dyke projects to overcome consequences of natural calamity as well as projects of national defense importance and other crucial ones .
Japan helps ASEAN apply credit guarantee mechanism
The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry revealed that Japan will support nations in ASEAN to establish and apply a credit guarantee mechanism in an effort to help businesses investing in Southeast Asia mobilize capital after the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement comes into effect.
Japan will assign professionals to ASEAN to advocate the establishment of financial database for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
VN lodges solemn protest against China’s flights to Fiery Cross Reef
Viet Nam once again lodged strong protest against China as the latter on Wednesday landed two aircraft on the airfield built illegally on Fiery Cross Reef of Viet Nam’s Truong Sa archipelago.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le HaiBinh said the Chinese test flights seriously encroaches on Viet Nam’s sovereignty, threatens the regional peace and stability as well as security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.
Viet Nam demands China immediately stop such deed, respect relevant regulations of international law, and take no more actions that may further expand and complicate disputes.
Anti-corruption hotlines prove effective
Approximately 330 calls have been made to three national anti-corruption hotlines that were created for the public to report corruption 25 days ago, said Head of Government Inspectorate Anti-corruption Bureau Pham Trong Dat.
Speaking at the Government Inspectorate’s press conference on January 7, Dat stated that a large number of the calls were in the fields of land, minerals, taxation, finance and social welfare, and about abuse of an office’s power.
Of the total, the inspection sector acknowledged 120 cases and asked for additional evidence and documents.
According to him, the three hotlines, 08048228,0902386999 and 01256986688, are an effective solution to collect denunciation calls from both civilians and officials in State agencies.
HN launches two tunnels at crowded intersections
Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, also Head of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, attended ceremonies held in Ha Noi on January 8 to inaugurate the Trung Hoa and Thanh Xuan road tunnels at two of the busiest intersections in the capital.
The Trung Hoa tunnel’s construction began on January 18, 2015 with a contracted schedule of 18 months and a VND1,087 billion (US$42.8 million).The two-way tunnel connects Thang Long Highway and Tran Duy Hung Street, comprising two different tunnels. Each tunnel heading to Tran DuyHung Street is 12 meters wide with three 3.5-meter lanes while that heading to Thang Long Highway is 16.25 meters each.
By Thuy Dung
