National Assembly deputies on July 25 re-elected Mr Nguyen Tan Duc as Prime Minister with 96.96% votes in favour. The Prime Minister took this opportunity to affirm in an interview with Nhan Dan newspaper that the Government and he himself will continuously devote themselves to fulfilling the tasks assigned by the Party, NA and people.

Q: We would like to congratulate you on the honour of leading the Government in the new term. What will you focus on in the coming period?

A: This is the term which the Government will resolutely implement measures to fulfil the socio-economic development targets and tasks set by the tenth National Party Congress for the 2006-2010 period. After the National Assembly adopts the list of Deputy Prime Ministers and other Government members, I will deliver a speech to undertake the assigned tasks.

In the new term, the Government and I will focus on providing concrete guidance toward the implementation of the central task concerning economic development by speeding up the growth rate and at the same time creating important changes in quality, efficiency and sustainability for the economy so as to rapidly lift Vietnam out of underdevelopment. Greater efforts will be given to quickly improving people’s spiritual, cultural and material life, boosting national industrialisation and modernisation in combination with the development of knowledge-based economy, thus helping Vietnam to become an industrial country by 2020. Attention will also be paid to preserving political stability, order, social security, national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security. In addition, the Government will continue expanding foreign relations promoting international economic integration and raising Vietnam’s prestige regionally and globally.

In order to realise these targets, the Government has been carrying out a series of tasks, mainly on liberating and developing stronger productive forces, promoting all resources and potentials, creating a breakthrough in infrastructure construction and economic restructuring, improving the economy’s quality, competitiveness and growth rate so as to take Vietnam out of low-income status. We will continue accelerating the building and perfection of the socialist-oriented market economy, respecting market principles and creating a harmonious market economy mechanism suitable to Vietnam. We are actively integrating in the global economy and will continue raising the economy’s self-reliance, developing science and technology as well as education and training as well as knowledge-based economy, improving the quality of human resources to meet increasing requirements of national industrialisation and modernisation. We will focus on creating a sharp change in the building of an advanced culture imbued with national identity, educating traditional morals, controlling population growth, improving people’s health and protecting the environment. In addition, priority will be given to realising social progress and equality, strengthening the national great unity bloc, national defence, security and expanding foreign relations. These are the tasks which the Government, authorities and sectors at different levels are implementing with high determination.

Q: Which policies and solutions will the Government take to implement these tasks?

A: The Government is actively carrying out four groups of policies and solutions. First of all, it is the policy on mobilising resources, including the consistent implementation of policies on creating favourable environment for investment, production, business and development of businesses of various kinds. Efforts are being continued to speed up the reform and restructuring of State-owned businesses together with the raising of efficiency and competitiveness, creating a motive force for collective and private businesses and attracting foreign investment. Secondly is the harmonious development of markets and continuation of perfecting socialist-oriented market economic mechanism. Thirdly is the promotion of administrative reform and improvement of State management of the economy and society. Finally is the resolute and harmonious implementation of solutions on preventing and controlling corruption within the State apparatus.

Q: What is your assessment on the current socio-economic development?

A: Vietnam is enjoying favourable socio-economic development. There have been many positive factors, especially following the country’s official entry into the World Trade Organisation. The country has seen high economic growth marked by 8.17% in 2006 (higher than the target of 8%) and 7.87% in the first six months this year. This is the highest rate compared to the same period over the last five recent years. High increases were also achieved in key sectors, including 16.9% in industrial production, 2.67% in agri-forestry-aquaculture and 8.41% in services. Exports continued to achive good results both in turnover and market expansion together with stable development of financial activities and budget collection. The consumer price index (CPI) increased 5.2% in the first half of this year, higher than 4% of the same period last year, however is still under control. Total social investment was maintained at a high rate, creating an important motive force for economic growth.

Significant progress was also made in the fields of culture, education, health care, science and technology. Job creation, poverty reduction and disease prevention and control continued to be boosted. Administrative reform has seen positive changes while the fight against corruption and wastefulness received a strong response from the administration at different levels, bringing about significant change. The political and social situation continued to experience stability together with effective expansion of foreign relations, preservation of security and national defence and improvement of people’s living standards. These are the basic premise for us to overcome difficulties and challenges so as to successfully implement the 2007 socio-economic development targets set by the NA.

Q: Could you point out the specific limitations?

A: Economic growth reached high rate in the first six months this year, however is still behind the 8.5% target set for the whole year. The growth rate in agriculture was also lower than the same period last year in terms of production and added values, affecting the economy’s growth. Prices are under control but are still increasing at high rate, posing great concern. The trade deficit also increased, becoming a big challenge for the country. In addition, bird flu and other diseases are developing in a negative trend. These are direct difficulties and challenges, thus requiring the entire country to make greater efforts to fulfil the outlined tasks.

Q: What should we do in the next few months to reach the targets set by the NA?

A: The Government plans to take a number of measures to fulfil three central tasks: reaching rapid and sustainable economic growth in combination with effective settlement of social issues and poverty reduction, creating significant changes in administrative reform, effectively preventing and controlling corruption and wastefulness. The solutions will focus on maintaining big balances for the economy to reach rapid and sustainable growth, creating a favourable environment for production and implementation of investment projects, carrying out harmonious measures to gain positive and sustainable results in poverty reduction, actively preventing and controlling diseases in agriculture and natural disasters, increasing surveillance on food safety and hygiene, reducing traffic accidents, boosting administrative reform in combination with greater efforts against corruption and wastefulness.

The Government and the Prime Minister will strive to fulfil the assigned tasks so as to deserve to the trust of the Party, the National Assembly and the people. (Nhan Dan)