The Government’s regular meeting- March 2014

RESOLUTION

The Government’s regular meeting – March 2014

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree 08/2012/ND-CP, dated February 16, 2012 promulgating the Working regulation of the Government;

Based on the discussion of the Cabinet’s members and the conclusion of the Prime Minister at the Government’s regular meeting held on February 28, 2014,

 1. Regarding the socio-economic performance in March and the first quarter of 2014, the implementation of the Government’s Resolution 01/NQ-CP, dated January 2, 2014 on major tasks and solutions guiding and directing the realization of the Plan for socio-economic development and state budget estimate in 2014; the implementation of the Government’s resolutions and its Q1 working programs; the investigation and settlement of complaints and denunciations, and anti-corruption in Q1, 2014; and the administrative reform in Q1, 2014.

The Government unanimously agreed that ministries, agencies, localities, unions and enterprises have promptly and seriously implemented Resolutions of the Party, the National Assembly and Government on socio-economic development goals since the start of the year. The socio-economic performance in Q1 progressed positively in all fields, paving favorable ways for higher outcomes in the coming time. The macro-economy was stable, GDP growth rate was estimated at 4.96%, higher than the same period of the two previous years; inflation was kept at low level, consumer price index (CPI) dropped by 0.44% in March, a record low over the past eight years. Deposit and lending interest rates were reduced; foreign exchange rates and the gold market were stabilized; foreign-exchange reserves were on the rise. Export maintained high growth rate. Disbursement of official development assistance (ODA) and foreign direct investment (FDI) rose. Industrial production, especially of the processing and manufacturing industries, was positive. In spite of bad weather and infectious disease epidemics, agricultural production was relatively stable. The service sector expanded. Budget collection and spending were higher than forecast and the figures recorded in the same period last year. Social security and welfare was given due attention and implemented fruitfully, especially the care of both physical and spiritual lives for policy beneficiaries, people with merits, poor households and people in far-flung and remote areas. Culture, information, education and job generation were implemented properly. The administrative reform, inspection, settlement of accusations and anti-corruption attained positive outcomes. National defense and security were strengthened, politics and society were stabilized, and national sovereignty was safeguarded. Foreign relations were accelerated. Transport order showed improvements.

Nevertheless, the socio-economic performance still faced numerous difficulties and challenges: total demand slowly growing, low credit growth and disbursement of basic infrastructure investment yet being quickened. Non-performing loans (NPLs) have not been handled fundamentally. Production and business encountered obstacles with high number of enterprises temporarily suspending operation or being dissolved. The real estate market showed no sign of clear improvements. Epidemics affected production and animal husbandry. Agricultural export market coped with challenges.

In Q2, the Government requested ministries, agencies and localities to drastically implement measures and solutions stipulated in Resolutions of the Party, the NA, and the Government, especially Resolution 01/NQ-CP, dated January 2, 2014; uphold the achievements, surmount difficulties and challenges to realize the following tasks:

- The State Bank of Viet Nam continues to regulate the monetary policy in an active and flexible manner, ensure stability in the monetary, foreign currency and gold markets, properly control inflation; take measures to push up credit growth in favor of production and business and control, improve credit quality; research to apply interest rate cuts for expired loans in order to extricate difficulties for enterprises; uphold the role of the Viet Nam Asset Management Company in resolving NPLs; and comprehensively restructure credit organizations.

- The Ministry of Finance works with other ministries, agencies and localities to deploy synchronous measures to strengthen management of budget collection and spending; prevent losses of budget collection and strictly control refunds of VAT; timely disclose and handle frauds and appropriation of VAT refunds; collect tax debts and reduce tax debts; regulate management over State budget spending within the NA’s forecast and in accordance with adopted policies; work with the State Bank of Viet Nam to deploy the plan on Government bond issuance in 2014 to ensure that Government bonds are spent timely and efficiently.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment accelerates investment promotion, and strengthens measures to attract and disburse FDI and ODA; reviews obstacles and shortcomings in fundamental construction projects to speed up disbursement progress of investment sourced from State budget and Government bonds; works with the Ministry of Finance and localities to allocate corresponding capital for ODA-funded projects in 2014, especially key transport projects, researches capital allocation for localities to organize resettlement for people whose land was taken in favor of transport infrastructure investment projects, submits to the PM for decision; prepares for expenditures to assist poor households in building flood-resistant houses in the central region; works with related ministries to handle expenditures for site clearance in Hoa Lac High-Tech Park and reports to the PM.

- The Ministry of Transport directs quality supervision; speeds up implementation of key transport projects; propose expenditure for building concrete bridges in disadvantageous and mountainous areas; properly execute measures and solutions to ensure transport safety; works with the Ministry of Public Security and localities to check vehicle loads especially on key national roads and punish violators.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade cooperates with relevant ministries and agencies to accelerate trade promotion, cement and expand export markets; proactively conduct programs to stimulate the domestic market, support product consumption, reduce high inventory levels, strengthen domestic consumption, disseminate the “Buy Vietnamese goods” campaign; expand the price stabilization model without spending State budget; strengthen market investigations and control; prevent smuggling and trade frauds; strictly punish trading of counterfeit items and poor-quality products; publicize violators. The Ministry works with other ministries and agencies to accelerate negotiations to early sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement; the Free Trade Agreement between Viet Nam and the European Free Trade Associations (EFTA); the Viet Nam-Korea Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA); and the FTA between Viet Nam and the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development implements the agricultural restructure project; maps out specific plans to grow high-quality plants; supervises and fights against influenza epidemics.

- The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs takes synchronous measures to effectively conduct policies on social security and welfare, national target programs on poverty reduction and employment.

- The Ministry of Health speeds up the implementation of the National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program; provides free-of-charge drugs for TB patients in the community and coordinates with the Ministry of Finance to prepare expenditure for the program.

- The Ministry of Information and Communications orders press agencies to disseminate orientations and policies of the Party, State and regulatory measures of the Government. Ministries and agencies take the responsibility for providing information to generate social consensus especially on the issues of public concern.

- Ministries, agencies and localities speed up the realization of the Master Plan on Economic Restructuring in accordance with their assigned tasks of which the project for enterprise restructure must enhance progress of SOEs arrangement and equitization; the project on public investment restructure must attract non-state budget, especially foreign investment, implement the Government’s Resolution to raise national competitiveness and improve business environment.

- The Ministry of Home Affairs chairs and cooperates with ministers, agencies and localities to clarify and publish the Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance (PAPI 2013) and implement the project on “Speeding up the reform of public service regime" and finalize regulations to evaluate the performance of public officials, staffs and state employees.

- The Government Inspectorate focuses on inspection plan, especially in areas which are vulnerable to corruption; properly hold receptions for citizens; handles complaints; drastically resolves prolonged denunciations.

- Ministers, leaders of ministerial-level agencies and chairmen of People’s Committee direct the realization of Governmental working programs; proactively prepare for projects assigned, especially the implementation of the Constitution 2013 and projects which were submitted at conferences of the Party Central Committee, the Political Bureau and the Secretariat and bills which were presented at the 7th session of the 13th National Assembly, guiding documents of laws and ordinances that took effect.

2. Regarding the supplement assessments on the implementation of the socio-economic development plans in 2013 and 2014; state budget in 2013 and state budget forecast for 2014

The Ministry of Planning and Investment collects comments from Government members to finalize the supplementary report on the implementation of socio-economic development in 2013 and 2014. On behalf of the PM, the Minister of Planning and Investment would present the report to the National Assembly.

The Minister of Finance collects feedbacks of Government members to finalize the supplementary reports on budget in 2013 and budget forecast in 2014; propose options to balance budget collection and spending in 2013 in accordance with the amount of overspending budget which was reported to the NA to resolve important and pressing issues; report to the PM before presenting to the NA.

​3. Regarding the final accounts of state budget balance in 2012

The Ministry of Finance collects comments from Government members to finalize the final accounts of state budget balance in 2012. On behalf of the PM, the Minister of Finance presents it to the 7th session of the 13th National Assembly./.

ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT

PRIME MINISTER

(Signed)

Nguyen Tan Dung