PM talks key priorities in second half

Photo: VGP

PM Dũng made the point at his meeting with the media following the Cabinet’s regular June meeting in Hà Nội on July 1.

He frankly poited out that the economy still faces difficulties resulting from surging inflation, high interest rates, and widening trade deficit, stressing the need to continue with tightened monetary policy in a cautious and effective manner to cool the interest rates down.

In spite of economic hardships, the Government will fulfill social welfare targets it has set, including the creation of 1.6 million jobs and reduction of poverty rate down by 2% under the new set of criteria for rural area development.

For national security and defense, he said proper measures have been taken during the past six months to protect security and social order in Mường Nhé District and defend national sovereignty in the East Sea along with the sucessful organization of key political events, like the 11th National Party Congress, and the elections to the 13th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels.

We need to keep vigilance all the time and must act decisively, promptly and properly to ensure security, social order and national sovereignty, the Government chief highlighted.

Besides realizing the targets for 2011, PM Dũng said that the Government is taking into consideration of long-term solutions for fast and sustainable development and economic restructuring and growth model transformation are among the first missions.

Regarding the performance of the national economy, he said that various positive signs were signalled in the first six months.

In the reviewed period, consumer price index had been slowed down with 3.32% in April, 2.21% in May, and 1.09% in June.

The foreign currency and gold markets had been put under effective control and the exchange rate had been stabilized, he said.

Export turnover rose by over 30%, while import was tightened and trade deficit dipped to 15.72%.

The country’s total investment fell down to 38.3% of the gross domestic product, compared to 45.6% of the same period of 2010.

And the most important was the GDP still expanded at 5.57% despite of pressing challenges, PM Dũng noted.

By Hải Minh