Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son emphasized three key tasks for the industry and trade sector.

(Chinhphu.vn) - Working with the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the afternoon of September 17, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to focus on three main tasks, which are to continue perfecting institutions; affirming and performing the key role in socio-economic development; promoting and boosting successes in the field of import and export.

Phó Thủ tướng Bùi Thanh Sơn nhấn mạnh 3 nhiệm vụ trọng tâm đối với ngành công thương — Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to focus on implementing three key issues for the industry and trade sector - Photo: VGP/Minh Ngoc

On track to achieve your goals

Reporting to Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang said that in the context of many difficulties and challenges, unpredictable fluctuations in the global economy, and many long-standing problems, over the past years, especially in the first 8 months of 2024, the entire industry and trade sector has made efforts to promote good traditions, solidarity, and strive to complete assigned tasks, contributing to the overall socio-economic development results of the whole country. In particular, the work of perfecting institutions, building plans, strategies, and policies has been focused on implementing in many areas of state management of the sector. The task of ensuring energy security has always been of concern. The electricity sector continues to deploy synchronous solutions to put large power source and grid projects into operation, maximizing resources to ensure sufficient electricity supply for production and daily life. The issue of operating the power system and building a competitive electricity market continues to be focused on perfecting institutions and policies on regulating electricity activities in a public, transparent and fair manner. Notably, foreign trade activities continue to be a bright spot in economic development. Export turnover maintains a high growth rate at a double-digit rate (except in 2023 due to the global market recession). To date, Vietnam has risen to the world's leading position in exporting a number of strong products, such as rice, seafood, wooden furniture, leather and footwear, etc. In the first 8 months of 2024, our country's exports have escaped the downward spiral and recovered strongly with a preliminary export turnover of 265 billion USD, equal to 70% of the annual plan and an increase of 15.8% over the same period last year. This is a high growth rate compared to many countries in the ASEAN region and Asia. Another bright spot of the whole industry is that industrial production (IIP) for the whole year of 2024 will grow by 7-8%; export growth will increase by 6%; total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue in 2024 will increase by 9%. Particularly, export growth and IIP targets may exceed the set plan. In addition, other tasks, such as international economic integration; developing the domestic market; e-commerce; state management of trade defense; management and assurance of market order, prevention and combat of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods in the domestic market; trade promotion; protection of consumer rights... have all been strengthened, innovated and completed, promoting efficiency. "By the end of August, the industry and trade sector is on the right track to achieve the set goals for 2024", Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang affirmed.

However, in addition to the achieved results, the Deputy Minister also said that in the coming time, the industry and trade sector will also face many difficulties and challenges. The task of ensuring enough electricity is a big challenge after many years without new power sources. The implementation of electricity development goals according to the Power Plan VIII and the National Energy Plan has encountered many difficulties. Industrial production has not fully recovered. Export activities have achieved positive results, but still depend on a number of key markets. Domestic trade has grown quite well, but the development of trade infrastructure is uneven. The disbursement rate of public investment capital is still limited. At the same time, the severe damage caused by the recent storm No. 3 requires the entire industry to make greater efforts to achieve results for the whole year of 2024. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has proactively directed units in the entire industry to respond, minimize, and overcome the consequences caused by storm No. 3, promptly restore power supply, ensure the supply of gasoline and essential goods, serve production and people's lives, and actively respond to the call of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to support people affected by the storm. After the report of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and a number of discussions, proposals, and recommendations from ministries, branches, corporations, general companies, etc., Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien shared that the Ministry of Industry and Trade has the function of multi-sectoral economic management, directly related to socio-economic life and has many complicated, long-standing issues that are not easy to solve. Since the beginning of the term, the Ministry and the industry and trade sector have faced a series of difficulties, such as COVID-19, supply disruptions, global conflicts, trade wars, etc., and human resource challenges, which have affected all aspects of the implementation of the sector's tasks. "In such a difficult context, with the timely and close attention and direction of the Party, State and Government leaders, the support and assistance of ministries, branches and localities, along with the efforts of the sector, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has achieved positive results as it is today, which is a miracle," Minister Nguyen Hong Dien emphasized. Considering that there are still many complicated issues ahead, increasingly deep international integration, internalization of international law is also a challenge, and a series of commitments must be fulfilled, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien hopes that the Government and ministries, branches and localities will continue to pay attention, support and accompany the industry and trade sector to fulfill its tasks, making worthy contributions to the socio-economic development of the country.

Must both remove obstacles and create development

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son commented that the report of the Ministry of Industry and Trade provided a general, comprehensive "picture" and demonstrated the Ministry's areas of work that are directly, closely and comprehensively related to all aspects of social life and production and business. In the context of many difficulties in the region, internationally and domestically, under the leadership of the Party, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Government, the Prime Minister, and the synchronous and comprehensive implementation of all levels and sectors, our country has achieved important achievements. The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the entire industry and trade sector have made great contributions to the country's overall achievements in recent times. On behalf of the Government and the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son warmly commended the contributions of the Ministry and the industry and trade sector since the beginning of the term until now and especially in the past 8 months. Regarding the tasks in the coming time, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to focus on implementing 3 key issues. Firstly, continue to perfect institutions, to both remove obstacles and difficulties for production and business, and create and pave the way for development. "Institutions are built not only to manage existing things, but also to think, pilot, and implement new things, to create a legal framework to pave the way for future development," Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son emphasized. The Deputy Prime Minister requested the Minister of Industry and Trade to directly direct the work of building institutions and perfecting legal documents in the fields under the Ministry's management.

Second, continue to work with the Party, State, Government and ministries, sectors and localities to promote the process of socio-economic recovery and development. The industry and trade sector needs to affirm and promote its leading role. In particular, it is necessary to build regulations and rules to promote and encourage the development of the electricity sector, pilot renewable energy projects, etc.; focus on adjusting and completing plans, implementing the removal of pending projects, and developing effective projects. Third, highly appreciating the role of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in maintaining, promoting and developing import-export turnover growth in recent times, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested continuing to take advantage of and exploit free trade agreements (FTAs). "The Government's priority is to negotiate and establish new FTAs," said Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son. In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister also requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to focus on promoting the successes of e-commerce in accordance with the general trend of the world; Strengthen digital transformation, closely coordinate with relevant agencies to strongly implement Project 06; continue to promote the Campaign "Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods".

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