The PM chaired the meeting to discuss the socioeconomic situation of the country so far this year and a draft government resolution on essential tasks and solutions for 2019, reported the Government news website.

In his opening remarks, the PM underlined the importance of the resolution, saying the draft will be discussed at a conference between the Government and local authorities later this month.

According to the Government leader, the resolution needs to be imbued with the spirit of reform. He urged Cabinet members to offer their viewpoints on the major issues addressed in the resolution.

“In recent days, we have spoken of entrepreneurship and technological innovation, which play a major role in the country. Are they important enough to be implemented right away in early 2019 or not?” he said.

He also called attention to several urgent issues related to residents’ petitions and complaints. In connection with the work, the PM announced a decision establishing a special working group headed by Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, together with the leaders of certain ministries, agencies and local governments, to handle all issues of grave public concern.

“This issue basically affects local governments, but we have to deal with it so that the situation could not worsen. (We) have to review, clarify and resolve the issue completely,” he stressed.

The PM also referenced preparations for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, which has nearly two months to go, and the electricity supply situation.

He asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the State-run utility Vietnam Electricity Group to ensure an adequate power supply next year.

Amid fears of the spread of African swine fever from China, over 100 kilometers from the Vietnamese border, the PM demanded the relevant agencies take drastic steps to prevent the highly contagious disease from spreading.

The fever is a hemorrhagic disease affecting pigs and other animals, with all age groups being equally susceptible. The more severe forms of the virus present symptoms of high fever, loss of appetite, hemorrhage under the skin and in the internal organs and death within two to ten days on average. Mortality rates may be as high as 100%.

He urged the authorities to penalize loan sharks strictly, especially on the occasion of Tet. He said police officers from the north-central province of Thanh Hoa had recently cracked down on a loan shark ring, deemed the largest operation ever uncovered in the country. It included 26 branches active in all 63 Vietnamese provinces and cities.

A report by the Ministry of Planning and Investment showed that the macroeconomy has remained stable since the beginning of the year. The consumer price index in November fell by 0.29%, the lowest in nine years. Trade surplus amounted to US$6.8 billion.

During the 11-month period, over 121,000 firms were established, with total registered capital of VND3.4 quadrillion (US$146.2 billion), while nearly 32,000 enterprises resumed operations.

SGT