Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam should create breakthroughs in 2019 to complete the 2016-2020 socio-economic development plan and create a foundation for the next five years, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has said. In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency , the official stressed greater efforts are needed to fulfill the GDP growth target of 6.8 percent set for 2019 by the National Assembly. To that end, he proposed improving the domestic business environment to facilitate the operation of businesses and reduce production and business costs. The private economic sector is expected to drive growth, he said, emphasising the need to remove difficulties and barriers and create an equal playing field for enterprises. The Government has taken actions to enable businesses to access new technologies as scientific-technological innovation is an urgent need of the national economy, the minister noted. Preparations for intensive international integration and the improvement of the capacity of the national economy as well as businesses would help Vietnam optimise opportunities, especially those generated by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which came into force in Vietnam on January 14, he said. Dung also said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Vietnam are expected to remain attractive destinations for global investment in 2019. Reviewing Vietnam’s economic performance in 2018, he said national GDP grew 7.08 percent, the highest level over the past 11 years. Noteworthy was the agro-forestry-fishery sector, which expanded 3.76 percent in the year, a record rise, he said, highlighting a trade surplus of 7.2 billion USD, foreign direct investment (FDI) disbursement exceeding 19 billion USD, and inflation below 4 percent. The country’s impressive performance received praise from international organisations …
Home ministers
27th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat adopts 10 initiatives, priorities
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh attended the 27th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat held via videoconference on March 2 and 3, during which he and other delegates approved 10 initiatives and priorities for economic cooperation in 2021. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh attends the 27th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat (Photo: VNA) The initiatives and priorities have been built with three main orientations - recovery, digitalisation, and sustainability - with a focus on such important fields as trade facilitation, tourism, energy, information technology, minerals, and sustainable development. Of note, several initiatives inherit cooperation contents from 2020 when Vietnam assumed the role of ASEAN Chair. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to have a serious impact, delegates discussed ASEAN’s efforts to recover economies so as to not only fight the pandemic but also boost economic development, particularly the expansion of the ASEAN List of Essential Goods. In particular, the retreat also reached consensus on 2021 agenda priorities in economy with 68 different contents, such as trade in goods, trade in services, investment, intellectual property, e-commerce, and consumer protection, among others. At the event, Khanh expressed his support for Brunei’s initiatives during its ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2021, and affirmed that Vietnam will continue cooperating closely with other ASEAN countries to realise the common targets of the ASEAN Economic Community. Vietnam also shared its experience and efforts to control the pandemic and ensure economic development while implementing its commitments within ASEAN and the ASEAN Plus frameworks. Together with discussions on intra-bloc economic cooperation, the participants also exchanged views on extra-bloc economic cooperation, such as reviewing the implementation of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) and …
[Read more...] about 27th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat adopts 10 initiatives, priorities
Ten initiatives, priorities adopted at 27th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat
The initiatives and priorities have outlined three major orientations - recovery, digitalization, and sustainability - with a particular focus on such important areas as trade facilitation, tourism, energy, information technology, minerals, and sustainable development. Of note, several initiatives inherit cooperation contents from 2020 when Vietnam took on the role of ASEAN Chair. Amid the complicated COVID-19 pandemic, delegates discussed ASEAN’s efforts to boost economic recovery while going ahead with the fight against the pandemic and the important task of boosting economic development, particularly the expansion of the ASEAN List of Essential Goods. Vietnam also shared its experience and efforts to control the pandemic and ensure economic development while carrying out its commitments within ASEAN and the ASEAN Plus frameworks. Together with discussions on intra-bloc economic cooperation, the participants also exchanged views on extra-bloc economic cooperation, such as reviewing the implementation of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) and collaboration between ASEAN and the EU. They said their countries are redoubling efforts to soon adopt the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement to facilitate post-pandemic recovery. Within the framework of the retreat, the participants held a consultation with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council to make recommendations on health care and dealing with non-tariff measures, and enhancing public-private partnerships (PPPs) in ASEAN and between the grouping and its partners. …
[Read more...] about Ten initiatives, priorities adopted at 27th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat
