Regular Government press conference December 2023

The country's position and people's trust in the Party and State are raised.

Opening the press conference, Minister Tran Van Son said that today, in the exciting atmosphere of the first days of the new year 2024, the Government organized a national online conference to summarize the work of 2023 and deploy the work of the Government and local authorities in 2024, a year of important significance in implementing the 5-year socio-economic development plan, 2021-2025.

Minister, Head of the Government Office Tran Van Son, Government Spokesperson, chaired the press conference.

Attending the Conference were leaders of the Party, State, and Vietnam Fatherland Front; members of the Politburo, members of the Central Party Secretariat; leaders of central and local departments, ministries, and branches.

Minister Tran Van Son informed that at the opening session of the Conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the socio-economic situation in 2023 continued to have a positive recovery trend, with each month being better than the previous month, each quarter being higher than the previous quarter; we have basically achieved the general goal of persistently stabilizing the macro-economy, controlling inflation, promoting growth, ensuring major balances of the economy; social security and people's lives have been improved; anti-corruption and negativity have been promoted; national defense and security have been consolidated and strengthened; foreign affairs and international integration have achieved comprehensive and outstanding results; the prestige and position of the country and the people's trust in the Party and State have been enhanced.

From the practical work of leadership, management and direction, the Prime Minister affirmed that the results achieved were thanks to the close and timely direction of the Central Committee, directly and regularly by the Politburo and the Secretariat, headed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong; the efforts of the entire political system, the close, smooth and effective coordination of the National Assembly; the drastic, timely and effective direction of the Government, all levels, sectors and localities; the support and active participation of the people and the business community; and the cooperation and assistance of international friends.

Socio - economic situation continues to recover and achieve many outstanding results.

Minister Tran Van Son informed and discussed at the Conference, the leaders of the Government, ministries, branches, localities, and delegates agreed that: In 2023, the world situation continues to change very quickly, complicatedly, unpredictably, many new problems arise, beyond forecasts. In the country, opportunities, advantages and difficulties, challenges are intertwined but there are more difficulties and challenges. The Government, all levels, branches, and localities must carry out an increasingly large amount of regular work, with increasingly high requirements; at the same time, handle many urgent and sudden matters that arise and must continue to resolve the backlog and limitations that have lasted for many years, becoming more and more obvious in the face of difficulties.

Minister, Head of the Government Office Tran Van Son, Government Spokesperson, informed at the press conference.

In the above context, closely following the Resolutions and Conclusions of the Party, the National Assembly, the Government, and the Prime Minister, ministries, branches, and localities have closely followed and proactively grasped the situation, concretized the Party and State's guidelines and policies, and proactively, flexibly, resolutely, creatively, and effectively directed tasks and solutions. Thereby, the socio-economic situation continued to recover positively and achieved many outstanding results in all fields.

The macro economy is basically stable, inflation is under control, major balances are guaranteed. The average consumer price index in 2023 increased by 3.25%. The monetary market, exchange rate, and foreign exchange are basically stable, the interest rate level decreased by about 2% compared to the end of 2022. The state budget deficit, indicators of public debt, government debt, and national foreign debt are lower than the allowable limit. Major balances are guaranteed: State budget revenue exceeds the estimate by 8.12%; trade surplus of 28 billion USD; export of more than 8.3 million tons of rice; energy security is guaranteed; labor supply and demand are basically guaranteed.

Economic growth in the following quarter was higher than the previous quarter, although it did not reach the set target, it was a bright spot in the global economy. GDP for the whole year of 2023 increased by 5.05%, among the highest in the region and the world. All three regions developed well; agriculture increased the most in more than 10 years; industry recovered well; services developed vigorously, tourism recovered, welcoming 12.6 million international visitors - far exceeding the target of 8 million visitors.

Development investment continued to achieve positive results. Total social investment capital increased by 6.2%; disbursement of public investment capital reached 95% of the plan, higher than the same period (91.42%); FDI attraction reached 36.6 billion USD, up 32.1%; realized FDI capital reached 23.18 billion USD, the highest ever.

Investment in developing the transport infrastructure system is being promoted and is a bright spot in 2023. In early 2023, 12 North-South expressway projects were simultaneously started, 9 projects were inaugurated in the middle of the year, and 4 important transport projects were simultaneously inaugurated at the end of the year; since the beginning of the term, nearly 730 km have been put into operation, bringing the total length of expressways nationwide to nearly 1,900 km.

Institutional building and improvement work was focused on; the investment and business environment and competitiveness were improved; anti-corruption, negativity and waste were promoted. The Government organized 10 thematic sessions on law-making, the most ever. Planning work was focused on; regional linkages and regional coordination were strengthened; 109/111 plans have completed preparation, appraisal and approval.

Many outstanding and sudden problems have been dealt with decisively and effectively, with clear changes. Focusing on handling 6 weak banks; 8/12 projects and businesses that have been losing money for many years; completing and putting into operation many large and important power projects after a long interruption. Focusing on removing difficulties for the real estate market and corporate bonds and achieving initial results.

Focus on cultural development, ensuring social security, improving people's lives; all social indicators are achieved and exceeded, demonstrating the good nature of our regime. The poverty rate according to multidimensional poverty standards decreased by 1.1% to 2.93%; the health insurance participation rate reached 93.35%... Politics and society are stable, national defense and security are maintained, social order and safety are ensured; foreign affairs and international integration are comprehensively successful and are the outstanding highlights of 2023.

Many prestigious international organizations highly appreciate the results and prospects of our country's economy and predict that Vietnam will recover quickly in the near future. Fitch Ratings upgraded Vietnam's long-term national credit rating to BB+ (from BB), with a "Stable" outlook. Vietnam's national brand value reached 431 billion USD, up 1 place to 32nd out of 100 strong national brands in the world...

Affirming that the results achieved are fundamental, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also noted that we must not be subjective or complacent because there are still many shortcomings, limitations, difficulties and challenges that need to be overcome and resolved in the coming time, such as: The world situation continues to develop in a complicated and unpredictable manner, affecting our country; The international market is narrowing, production and business, and credit access are difficult; High-quality human resources are still limited; The lives of a part of the people are still difficult; Security, order and social safety in some areas are complicated...

2024 is a breakthrough year to implement specific goals and tasks.

At the press conference, Mr. Tran Van Son added that, concluding the Conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized: 2024 is a breakthrough year, of special importance in the successful implementation of the 5-year Plan 2021-2025 and according to forecasts and assessments, the situation in 2024 will continue to be difficult and may be more difficult than in 2023.

Therefore, all levels, sectors and localities need to closely follow the Conclusions and Resolutions of the Central Committee, the National Assembly and the Government, and concretize them to implement specific goals and tasks in 2024 with the theme: "Discipline, responsibility, proactiveness, timely, accelerating innovation, sustainable efficiency" with the spirit of "highest determination and highest efforts to achieve the best results in 2024.

In this spirit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh outlined the main tasks and solutions in 2024:

Prioritize promoting growth, maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, ensuring major balances of the economy. Continue to operate monetary policy proactively, flexibly, promptly and effectively; coordinate synchronously, harmoniously and closely with a reasonable, focused, key expansionary fiscal policy and other policies. Promote traditional growth drivers such as investment, export, consumption, while promoting emerging growth drivers such as regional connectivity, innovation, digital transformation, green transformation, etc. Consolidate traditional markets while expanding new markets. Speed up the disbursement of public investment capital and national target programs. Increase revenue and save state budget expenditures; strictly control budget deficit, public debt, government debt, and national foreign debt. Determined to save 5% of expenditures and increase state budget revenue by at least 5% in 2024.

Promote the drastic, synchronous, substantive and effective implementation of strategic breakthroughs. Continue to cut and simplify administrative procedures and business regulations, striving to cut at least 10% of administrative procedure compliance costs by 2024. Speed up the construction progress of key transport projects, especially Long Thanh International Airport, submit to competent authorities for approval of the investment policy for the North-South high-speed railway project. Effectively implement the Plan to implement the VIII Power Plan. Promote the development of high-quality human resources associated with science and technology, promote startups and innovation. Focus on training high-quality human resources for emerging industries and fields.

Focus on effectively and substantially restructuring the economy in association with growth model innovation, digital economy development, green economy, circular economy, emerging industries and sectors. Focus on recovering and strongly developing industries, especially processing, manufacturing, and semiconductor chip production. Promote restructuring of the agricultural sector in association with new rural development; implement the Program of 1 million hectares of clean rice land with low carbon emissions; strive to have 80% of communes meeting new rural standards by the end of 2024.

Review and perfect institutions, mechanisms, policies, and regional linkage organizations and promote regional economic development; strongly promote the role of regional coordination councils; effectively implement the Politburo's Resolutions on the 6 socio-economic regions.

Strongly develop cultural and social fields, ensure social security, improve the material and spiritual life of the people. Continue to effectively implement the Conclusion of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the National Cultural Conference and the Conclusion of the Politburo. Focus on building and submitting for promulgation the National Target Program on cultural development; develop cultural industry. Effectively implement the Central Resolution on social policies. Resolutely and effectively implement the Project on Investment in the construction of at least 1,000,000 social housing apartments. Strive to complete at least 130,000 apartments by 2024. Well implement ethnic and religious policies...

Strengthening resource management and environmental protection, prioritizing resource allocation for natural disaster prevention, mitigation and overcoming consequences, and climate change response. Focusing on handling facilities causing serious environmental pollution; promoting international cooperation in protecting, managing and effectively using transboundary water resources. Focusing on investment in developing projects to prevent landslides, subsidence and flooding in the Mekong Delta...

Strengthen and enhance national defense and security, ensure social order and safety; promote the prevention and fight against corruption, negativity and waste. Closely monitor developments, proactively take timely measures regarding national defense and security; avoid being passive or surprised in any situation.

Continue to comprehensively promote foreign affairs and international integration. Focus on building and effectively implementing programs and action plans to concretize international commitments, agreements, and signed FTAs. Improve the effectiveness and promote the role of economic diplomacy; promote cultural diplomacy, do a good job of foreign information work, and protect citizens.

Strengthen information and communication work, especially policy communication to create social consensus. Close coordination between the Government, ministries, branches, localities with the Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations, and people's organizations; Improve the effectiveness of mass mobilization work; constantly consolidate the great national unity bloc.

The Prime Minister requested localities, from the beginning of the year, to focus on accelerating the disbursement of public investment capital and the 3 National Target Programs; resolutely remove difficulties for production and business... Focus on enhancing the self-reliance, self-reliance, self-control, self-responsibility, dynamism, creativity, daring to think and dare to do of local authorities and cadres, civil servants and public employees. Focus on ensuring social security and people's lives, organizing for people to celebrate the Lunar New Year 2024 happily, healthily, safely and economically; not letting anyone go without Tet.

Emphasizing that the tasks set for 2024 are very heavy but also very glorious, and of great significance to the implementation of the goals and tasks set out in the spirit of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested leaders of ministries, branches and localities to thoroughly grasp the spirit of drastic, timely and effective action in performing tasks, together with the entire political system to make the greatest efforts to comprehensively complete the socio-economic development goals and the State budget estimate for 2024, contributing to the successful implementation of the 5-year socio-economic development plan 2021-2025.

Source