The new Cabinet was introduced on July 28 following the Legislature’s approval of the members of the Government.

The Cabinet, led by PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, has six Politburo members and 26/27 members of the 12th Party Central Committee.

PM Phuc committed to building a Cabinet of integrity and aggressive action to serve the development of the country and the people.

The Government will focus on overhauling, making reforms, and completing institutions, mechanisms, policies and laws, reinforcing decentralization in ministries, authorities and provinces, easing constraints on enterprises, and creating favorable conditions for enterprises to develop.

Notably, the Government is strongly determined to change itself to become a constructive body to serve citizens and the business community.

The following are the major statements by Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc since he became the Vietnamese PM:

Non-criminalization of economic relations

The first event that Mr. Phuc chaired after being appointed as the PM was the conference on Vietnamese businesses in Ho Chi Minh City on April 29.

Speaking at the conference attended by more than 1000 enterprises and Minister of Public Security To Lam, PM Phuc said that the Government will “not criminalize economic relations.”

In essence, non-criminalization of economic relations aims to protect freedom of business, said Invest Consult Group General Director Nguyen Tran Bat.

Minister Lam’s attendance at the meeting suggested the Government’s commitment to implementing the message, Bat said.

Immediate removal of “underground preferences” in business

PM Phuc demanded “immediate removal of “underground preferences” in business while attending the national conference on small and medium sized enterprises in Ha Noi on December 2-3.

Underground preferences in business are killing true business activities and hindering equal access to natural resources, said Mr. Phuc.

No more “month of leisure and amusements”

Presiding over the Government meeting in November, PM Phuc asked inferior levels to deploy tasks right from the beginning of 2017, from the very first day, very first month.

Inferior levels must not consider January as the month of leisure and amusements as many people often say, he said.

Launch of business culture

PM Phuc called for building business culture on November 7 in order to encourage the application of ethical norms in economic activities as well as healthy competition in line with the principles of sustainable development.

November 10 now becomes the Business Culture Day in Viet Nam.

Startup is philosophy of life

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc on October 17 called on Vietnamese youngsters to consider startup as a philosophy of life, not just a way to earn money.

Encouraging startups is part of the Government’s efforts to achieve the target of one million enterprises by 2020.

Stricter management of food safety and hygiene

On a rainy day in November, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc inspected a series of street foot facilities in Ho Chi Minh City. Earlier, he also made a fact-finding tour to Long Bien market in Ha Noi to learn about food safety and hygiene.

Food safety and hygiene is a pressing issue that widely gains great concern among the public. Legislator Tran Ngoc Vinh even said "The road from the stomach to the cemetery has never seemed so short and straight."

Ensuring food safety and hygiene has become one of the Government’s top priorities.

Revolution in ICT application

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc on September 24 called for revolution in information and communication technology application to contribute to comprehensive improvement of the national competitiveness.

Last year, the Government issued Resolution No. 36a/NQ-CP on e-Government development with a view to promoting the development of e-government, improving the quality and effectiveness of state agencies to better serve people and enterprises, raising Viet Nam's position on e-government under the UN ratings, and ensuring openness and transparency in state agencies.

Building code of conduct among countries

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed the necessity to enforce international laws, build and share regional code of conduct; avoid unilateral actions, imposition, intimidation or using force.

He raised the point while attending the ASEAN Plus One Summits with the U.S. and India and the East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on September 8, within the framework of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related meetings. 

Time to see real outcomes

It is time for the citizens to see real outcomes [of the Government performance], said PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc while chairing over the Cabinet meeting on August 31.

The statement showed the Cabinet members’ determination to realize what the Government has said.

He tasked the Cabinet members to exert greater efforts to improve business environment and create all favorable conditions for businesses and citizens.

Ensuring national interests while selling state capital

Concluding a meeting on August 29, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that the process of selling state capital at state-owned enterprises must be done in an open and transparent manner in accordance with market rules.

The process must bring maximum gains for the state.

The equitization will reduce the scope of state economic sector while raising the effectiveness of the SOEs.

It also helps liberate resources for higher growth but SOEs will not be equitized at all costs, which means the state will still not sell all stakes.

Chairmen of People’s Committees responsible for environmental pollution

Expressing his grave concern over the current environmental pollution situation, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 24 pointed out that all chairmen of the People’s Committees at all levels must be responsible for environmental pollution.

He also called for more drastic measures to overcome impacts of environmental pollution as well as the combined efforts of state agencies, business community and people to push back pollution.

Institutions-an important breakthrough

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc has repeated that institutional building is an important task, thus Viet Nam needs to double efforts in this field.

The Vietnamese Party and State said institutions may hinder or spur national development process.

Prosperity can only be ensured in peaceful environment

The prosperity and sustainable development in Viet Nam, Asia and the world may be ensured only in a peaceful and stable international environment, said PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the expanded G7 Summit in Mie Prefecture, Japan on May 27.

He noted that unilateral activities against the international regulations and regional agreements such as the large-scale construction of artificial islands, changing the status quo and scaling up militarization are seriously threatening the regional peace and stability.

Private sector is driving force for development

Welcoming Executive Director  Philipp Rosler of the World Economic Forum in Ha Noi on April 25, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc reiterated that the Government always considers private sector as the driving force for national development.

On May 16, 2016, the Government issued a resolution on supporting and developing enterprises by 2020 in a bid to translate the policy orientation into reality.

The Vietnamese private sector contributes around 48-49% of the GDP, approximately 49% of total social investment capital.

VGP