Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked central and local officials to have a political resolve and aspirations to develop the country in the new period although numerous difficulties remain.

Concluding a two-day teleconference between the Government and localities on December 29, he said the achievements obtained in 2016 are respectable, but an array of difficulties are forecast for 2017 regarding natural disasters, public debt, low economic competitiveness, and unpredictable international situation.

To better serve people and businesses, the whole political system must take actions, particularly grass-roots administrations which are closest to people, he noted.

“Leaders of ministries, sectors and localities must set aside their own interests to successfully perform the task of economic restructuring,” he stressed.

PM Phuc asked for efforts to ensure a stable macro-economy and an inflation of not higher than 4 percent in 2017 which, he said, are prerequisites and favourable conditions for sustainable development.

To achieve a growth rate of 6.7 percent next year, he requested ministries and sectors to continue tackling business difficulties, soon disburse public investment capital, apply science-technology, and improve productivity and competitiveness. 

The ministries and sectors should ensure the quality of economic growth but not at all costs, while protecting the environment, he emphasised.

Ministries, sectors and localities need to timely detect and ask the Government to abolish regulations that hamper national development. They also need to immediately eradicate irrational regulations which fall within their jurisdiction.

The Cabinet leader ordered the prompt settlement of non-performing loans and public debt and also asked officials at all level to practice thrift, prevent wastefulness and take into account the effectiveness when using people’s money.

Localities, ministries and sectors must push forward with improving the business climate so that Vietnam can be among the top four ASEAN countries with the best business environment.

State-owned enterprises must be drastically restructured by 2020, he said, adding that the People’s Committee chairpersons of each locality and each minister must take responsibility for this restructuring. They must work to minimise the loss of State asset and determinedly handle big loss-making projects.

Ministries, sectors and localities also have to pay heed to improving people’s material and spiritual life, the PM stressed.

VNA