After the Covid-19 pandemic, the world is changing very quickly, comprehensively and profoundly with complex, unpredictable developments in the economic, political, social and security fields on a regional and global scale.
Overcoming all difficulties, Vietnam has still achieved outstanding and historic achievements in socio-economic development, raising the country's position and prestige, creating new opportunities, new opportunities, and new advantages to transform itself according to the goals set by the 13th Party Congress: By 2030, it will become a developing country with modern industry and high average income, and by 2045, it will become a developed country with high income.
Contributing to the process of forming a new mindset and a new strategic vision for development, in line with the new position and strength of the country, the Ministry of Planning and Investment plays an important role as the "chief architect" of the economy.
On the occasion of the New Year of the Dragon, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung had an interview with the press on this issue.
Reporter: Minister, the country has just gone through a difficult year with the results of achieving at least 10/15 targets reaching and exceeding the set targets, in which the most outstanding is the completion of all social targets, demonstrating the good nature of our regime. How does the Minister evaluate this result?
Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: In 2023, the world and regional situation will fluctuate in a complex and unpredictable manner, beyond forecasting capabilities, facing many difficulties and challenges.
In that context, our country's economy has steadily overcome difficulties and challenges, continuing to achieve many important and quite comprehensive results in many fields. These are:
Thanks to the leadership of the Party, the accompaniment and coordination of the National Assembly, the participation of the entire political system, the Government and the Prime Minister have closely, promptly, effectively, synchronously and focusedly directed and managed ministries, branches and localities to implement solutions and policies to remove difficulties and obstacles, support production and business, enterprises and the economy, focusing on promoting growth in all three driving forces of investment, consumption and export. Macroeconomic stability has been basically maintained, inflation has been controlled, major balances, state budget revenue, energy security and food security have been ensured.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivered a speech at the conference to review the work in 2023 and deploy tasks in 2024 of the Planning, Investment and Statistics sector.
In 2023, credit rating agency Fitch Ratings maintained Vietnam's credit rating at BB in June, raised it to BB+ in December, with a "Stable" outlook, while downgrading the ratings of several major economies.
The economic growth for the whole year is estimated at 5.05%, although lower than the set target, but it is among the highest growth rates in the world and the region; economic growth, industrial production, exports, etc. have been positively improved each quarter and each month.
Fundamental factors in terms of institutions, business investment environment, infrastructure, human resource quality, science and technology, innovation, etc. have been improved relatively clearly.
Completed 475km of highway, bringing the total number of highway kilometers nationwide to about 1,900km.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the inauguration ceremony of the National Innovation Center (NIC) on the morning of October 28, 2023 at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, Hanoi. Photo: TRAN HAI
The science and technology ecosystem, innovation, and national innovation network continue to develop strongly; the National Innovation Center in Hoa Lac was inaugurated; new industries and sectors, chip and semiconductor industries are promoted.
Cultural and social fields are focused on; social security work is implemented promptly and effectively; people's lives continue to improve; national defense and security are ensured.
Foreign affairs, high-level diplomacy, and economic diplomacy are outstanding highlights, achieving important and historic achievements. In particular, successfully welcoming the visits of US President Joe Biden and General Secretary and President Xi Jinping; upgrading relations with the US to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Cooperation, and Development; and upgrading relations with Japan to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Thereby, opening up new opportunities, new opportunities and advantages in development cooperation in many economic fields, new industries such as chips, semiconductors, culture, science and technology, innovation, training of high-quality human resources...
These are important factors, creating favorable momentum for us to accelerate and make breakthroughs in 2024, aiming to achieve the highest results in the 5-year growth and development targets 2021-2025 and the 10-year Strategy.
Reporter: How has the Ministry of Planning and Investment contributed to the success of Vietnam's economy in 2023, Minister?
The achievements in the socio-economic development tasks in 2023 have a significant contribution from the Ministry of Planning and Investment in its role as a strategic advisory body for the Party, State, Government, and Prime Minister. These contributions are demonstrated through the outstanding results in the country's socio-economic development in 2023 and in recent years. Notably:
- Develop and form a new system of thinking, a new strategic vision for development, in line with the new position and strength of the country, increasingly better meeting the practical requirements of each industry, field and locality both now and in the future.
- The scale and potential of the economy are constantly being raised, growth is promoted on the basis of maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, and ensuring major balances of the economy.
- Implementing 3 strategic breakthroughs has achieved many clear results. Promoting decentralization and delegation of power associated with resource allocation, creating conditions for sectors and localities to promote initiative and flexibility in implementation, in accordance with the context, situation and practical requirements.
- To date, 109/111 plans have completed the preparation, appraisal, and approval, completing the basic objectives of submitting and approving the plans in 2023, creating new space and new growth drivers, and at the same time, serving as a legal basis for ministries, branches, and localities to prioritize attracting investment and allocating resources for the development of industries, fields, and localities in the medium and long term.
- Create a breakthrough in regional linkage institutions, establish and strengthen the activities of regional coordination councils to effectively coordinate the implementation of Politburo Resolutions on regional development, creating new driving forces and growth poles for the country.
- Disbursement of public investment capital in 2023 achieved many positive changes, with monthly and quarterly disbursement results always higher than the same period in both relative and absolute terms.
- Timely and synchronously deploy many policies and solutions to support production and business, enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises, to overcome difficulties and adapt to new global trends.
- The position and role of our country in the global FDI flow continues to be enhanced. Vietnam is not only an attractive investment destination, with registered FDI capital in 2023 reaching about 36.6 billion USD, an increase of more than 32%, but also proactively and actively investing abroad, to developed economies such as the US, Canada... and in new industries and industrial sectors.
- Strongly promote innovation, digital economy, green growth, circular economy, new economic sectors such as chip manufacturing, semiconductors, high-tech agriculture, high-quality human resource training, improve the effectiveness of promotion, investment attraction, support for overseas investment... to better exploit opportunities from major country strategic competition, global FDI capital flow shift, FTAs, strategic partnerships, comprehensive strategic partnerships, especially with major economies.
- Foreign affairs and economic diplomacy activities have achieved many important achievements, enhancing position and prestige and opening up new opportunities and advantages for national development...
These are important results, not only helping to promote growth and socio-economic development in 2023, but also enhancing internal capacity, autonomy, and clearly improving the fundamental factors for the country's rapid and sustainable growth in the future.
Reporter: The Minister has just mentioned that foreign affairs and economic diplomacy activities in 2023 have achieved many important achievements, enhancing the position and prestige and opening up new opportunities, opportunities and advantages for the country's development. Last year, the Ministry of Planning and Investment pioneered working with the world's leading enterprises in the field of innovation, calling for investment and cooperation with Vietnam. Could the Minister share the results achieved and plans for the coming years?
Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: Recently, many large technology enterprises in the world have cooperated with the National Innovation Center to implement many innovation programs and activities, support businesses in digital transformation and train and develop digital human resources such as Google, Meta, Siemens, Hitachi,...
Through contact and exchange activities at all levels, the Ministry of Planning and Investment has proactively proposed cooperation and called for investment in the field of innovation with leading enterprises in the world. Through this, many large international enterprises such as John Cockerill, Synopsys, Cadence, ... have signed cooperation agreements with the National Innovation Center.
In particular, after important and historically significant achievements in foreign affairs, high-level diplomacy, and economic diplomacy, many large enterprises in the world have increased exchanges and cooperation in development in many economic fields, especially in new industries such as chips, semiconductors, high-quality human resource training, etc.
In the last months of 2023, the world's leading semiconductor enterprises such as Nvidia, member enterprises of the US Semiconductor Industry Association (Intel, Qualcomm, Ampere, ARM, Synopsys, Infineon) came to work with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as well as seek investment and business opportunities, expand the operating market in Vietnam through cooperation with the National Innovation Center and Vietnamese enterprises.
Minister Nguyen Chi Dung and Mr. Jensen Huang, Chairman of NVIDIA Corporation, visited NIC Hoa Lac, December 11, 2023.
Based on the achieved cooperation results, the Ministry of Planning and Investment is directing the National Innovation Center to focus on implementing the cooperation contents agreed with current partners, and at the same time proactively seek and promote cooperation with the world's leading partners in 8 key areas to establish operations at the Center's operating facilities, especially the facility in Hoa Lac.
This will contribute to promoting growth based more on new drivers such as digital economy, science and technology, innovation, new industries and fields such as chips, semiconductors, renewable energy, hydrogen, etc.
It can be said that the special mark of the planning and investment sector in 2023 is its tireless efforts to write a story about innovation, thereby gradually shaping the innovation ecosystem in Vietnam with the core being the National Innovation Center.
Reporter: The new context opens up many opportunities, but also many challenges. Can the Minister share his views on developing and enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese enterprises, to gradually master core technology and move deeper into the global value chain?
Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: Currently, digital technology and digital technology enterprises are identified as the core of all rapid and sustainable growth models that will promote the development of the digital economy and digital society, changing state management methods, production and business models, consumption and cultural and social life.
Vietnamese enterprises are facing huge challenges in the new context. In addition, developing science and technology and innovation is an inevitable path for countries if they want to develop quickly, effectively and sustainably, especially developing countries, including Vietnam.
This is a major and important policy, a strategic orientation of the Party and State so that businesses do not fall behind, and we can ensure a sustainable development future.
To support businesses in improving their competitiveness, gradually mastering core technologies, and entering the global value chain, thereby contributing to achieving the goals set out in Resolution 41-NQ/TW on building and developing a team of entrepreneurs in the new era, the Ministry of Planning and Investment believes that not only the Government, ministries, branches, and localities, but also businesses need to act early and from afar to overcome challenges, proactively adapt, take advantage of opportunities, and develop sustainably to create new values.
Minister Nguyen Chi Dung speaks at the Vietnam Semiconductor Industry Summit
The Ministry of Planning and Investment recommends a number of key tasks and solutions as follows:
The Government continues to create a fair, open and transparent business investment environment; remove unnecessary and unreasonable barriers and regulations on business conditions.
Remove bottlenecks in resource mobilization, production and business in accordance with international regulations and commitments; research policies to encourage and promote cooperation between enterprises and research institutes and universities;
Connecting buyers and sellers, producers and consumers to promote research, application and technology transfer activities; researching and implementing pilot policy mechanisms to create incentives for commercialization, and promptly bringing research results into production and business.
Ministries, sectors and localities need to proactively support businesses to connect with new partners, expand markets to overcome supply chain disruptions; diversify partners; reduce input costs for businesses; improve capacity for domestic businesses, develop supporting industries, thereby promoting connections with FDI enterprises and large enterprises, gradually participating sustainably in the global supply chain, and increasing domestic production value.
For businesses, it is necessary to proactively update, approach, and apply new technologies of the 4.0 industrial revolution; pioneer innovation; implement digital transformation, apply green economy, circular economy, boldly invest in forming innovation centers in businesses; focus on investing in new fields, modern science and technology.
Reporter: In 2024, the world economic and political situation is forecast to continue to be complicated and unpredictable and will continue to be a difficult year for the domestic economy. Could you please tell us about the driving forces and solutions to successfully achieve socio-economic development goals and support business recovery?
Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: To successfully complete the socio-economic development goals in 2024 and achieve the highest results in the 5-year development goals of 2021-2025, ministries, branches and localities need to pay attention to the following key tasks and solutions:
Prioritize promoting economic growth, maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, and ensuring major balances. Focus on 3 growth drivers; renew old growth drivers and effectively exploit new growth drivers. Proactively advise, issue and implement synchronously, flexibly and effectively fiscal, monetary, trade solutions and policies... to support enterprises and production and business. Accordingly:
Continue to promote the campaign for Vietnamese people to prioritize using Vietnamese goods, trade promotion programs and activities, product promotion, connecting domestic supply and demand...
Resolutely and effectively implement 3 strategic breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure and human resources. Continue to review and perfect institutions, laws, mechanisms and policies in conjunction with improving the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement; promote the reduction and simplification of administrative procedures and business regulations, and improve the investment environment.
Speed up the implementation of synchronous and modern strategic infrastructure projects, especially highway systems, airports, ports, urban infrastructure, inter-regional infrastructure, digital infrastructure, social infrastructure, healthcare, education, etc.
Focus on developing high-quality human resources, especially human resources in the fields of biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and semiconductor chips, along with promoting scientific research, technology development and application, promoting innovation and startups. Develop and implement a project to develop high-quality human resources for the semiconductor industry by 2030, focusing on training 50-100 thousand human resources in the period 2025-2030.
Effectively and substantially restructure the economy in conjunction with growth model innovation, improve labor productivity, quality, and competitiveness; enhance the application of science and technology, promote innovation, digital transformation, green transformation, etc.
Comprehensively develop cultural and social fields, harmoniously linked with economic development; ensure social security, improve the material and spiritual life of the people.
Implement foreign affairs and international integration activities synchronously, comprehensively and effectively. Urgently concretize the results of the work of senior leaders with partners, the victories in foreign affairs and economic diplomacy in 2023...
Minister Nguyen Chi Dung announced the main content of Resolution No. 81/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly on the National Master Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, on April 20, 2023.
Reporter: Vietnam is implementing three strategic breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure and human resources to achieve the goal of becoming a developing country with modern industry and high average income by 2030 and a developed country with high income by 2045. Could you please tell us how we need to realize this vision?
Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: First of all, it is necessary to affirm that the country's development goals until 2030 and until 2045 are ambitious, very difficult, and full of challenges. But it is also necessary to affirm that this goal is not impossible and can be completely achieved if we successfully implement 3 strategic breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure, and human resources.
The three strategic breakthroughs that our Party and State are determined to make efforts to implement in this context are very correct and very accurate. Of the three breakthroughs mentioned above, institutional breakthrough is the first and also the most important breakthrough because this breakthrough is the foundation and premise for other breakthroughs to succeed.
To realize institutional breakthroughs, first and foremost, it is necessary to continue to innovate institutional building thinking to keep up with and meet the requirements of the times; be proactive, scientific, practical, and have a long-term and comprehensive vision.
In addition, the content of the business investment environment also needs to be paid attention to in the new context, always containing many uncertain factors, risks always come with opportunities.
In the context of the strong development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the knowledge economy and digital transformation, training and developing human resources, especially high-quality human resources, is of particular importance for a developing economy like Vietnam.
Our Party has identified the synchronous and modern development of infrastructure as a long-term task, requiring a roadmap suitable for the overall development of the entire economy. In the coming time, we will continue to identify the development of synchronous infrastructure as one of the strategic breakthroughs in the country's socio-economic development in the 2021-2030 period, in order to complete the infrastructure system, overcome bottlenecks, and develop the economy and society quickly and sustainably.
Thank you very much Minister!
Launching Ceremony of Vietnam Semiconductor Network
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/02/2024 ORGANIZATION: NGOC THANH CONTENT: TO HA-KHÁNH BACH PHOTOS: NHAN DAN NEWSPAPER, MPI PRESENTATION: BAO MINH
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