The Government's regular meeting - January 2017

RESOLUTION

THE GOVERNMENT’S REGULAR MEETING – JANUARY 2017

THE GOVERNMENT

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated June 19, 2015;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 138/2016/ND-CP dated October 01, 2016 promulgating the working regulation of the Government;

Based on the discussion of the Cabinet members and the conclusion of the Prime Minister at the Government’s regular meeting in January 2017, held on February 3, 2017,

RESOLVES:

1. Regarding the situation in the 2017 Lunar New Year holiday and the socio-economic performance in January of 2017; the implementation progress of the Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP of the Government on major tasks and solutions guiding the realization of the socio-economic development plan state budget plan in 2017

The Government unanimously agreed that: All levels, agencies, localities, organizations, associations, enterprises and the people actively contributed to the implementation of Resolutions related on socio-economic development tasks issued by the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly and the Government; to serious enforcement of the guidance of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat, the Government, and the Prime Minister to celebrate the 2017 Lunar New Year in a warm, playful, healthy, safe and economical manner. In January, the macro-economy remained stable. Consumer price index was kept under control without sudden price hikes during the Lunar New Year festival. Financial and banking services were maintained. Agricultural production was stable without outbreak of epidemic diseases. Service sector recorded decent development. Tourism maintained its growth momentum. The number of international arrivals to Viet Nam increased. Transport services met rising travel demand during the Lunar New Year festival. Exports increased over that of the same period last year. Social welfare policies for people with meritorious services, policy families, people in remote, border and island areas with special difficulties, disaster areas, environmental pollution affected areas, poor households, etc. continued to be deployed in a timely and practical manner. Unions at all levels, along with local authorities, took well care of the Lunar New Year celebration for staff and workers. Viet Nam’s representative offices abroad organized the Lunar New Year celebration for overseas Vietnamese communities and fulfilled their role on the protection of citizens. Smooth operation of postal and telecommunications was guaranteed. Information and communication, cultural activities, radio and television broadcasting, as well as sports and tourism activities took place in an effervescent and energetic manner, brim-full of tradition. Activities to safeguard healthcare and food safety were emphasized. Activities to ensure traffic order and safety received particular interest. Political security, social order and safety, and sovereignty were maintained.

However, the industry index recorded lower growth rate compared to that of the same period last year. During the holiday, traffic order and safety situation was relatively complicated. Both the number of cases and number of injuries caused by traffic accidents increased. Fire and explosion hazards were cracked down but the number of incidents remained high. Illegal use of firecrackers still occurred in some localities. Besides, the international and regional situation was forecasted to continue with more complicated and unpredictable changes in 2017.

The Government requested ministries, agencies and localities to drastically, synchronously and effectively implement the tasks and solutions set out in the Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP of the Government on key tasks and solutions guiding the realization of socio-economic development plan and the state budget plan in 2017 and the Telegraph No. 156/CD-TTg dated February 02, 2017 of the Prime Minister to accelerate the deployment of tasks after the 2017 Lunar New Year; urgently heighten public awareness of the direction of the Government in 2017, promote innovative entrepreneurship, decisively overcome difficulties, beef up production and business development across all sectors and fields from the beginning of the year; successfully accomplish all objectives and targets in 2017, and focus of the following key tasks:

- Ministries, agencies and localities shall complete the issuance of action plans and programs to implement the Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP and report to the Ministry of Planning and Investment; continue effective implementation of the Resolution No. 19 of the Government to improve the business and investment environment, enhance national competitiveness and the Resolution No. 35/NQ-CP to support enterprise development; proactively propose appropriate solutions for the new situation; accelerate equitization of state owned enterprises and divestment of the state capital and improve operational efficiency and competitiveness of state-owned enterprises.

- The Ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, Industry and Trade and the State Bank of Viet Nam shall closely monitor international and domestic economic, trade, financial and monetary developments for proactive and timely responses, collaborate closely in controlling inflation, accelerating macroeconomic stability, and promoting growth.

- The State Bank of Viet Nam shall manage monetary policy actively and flexibly in close coordination with fiscal policy to ensure macro-economic stability; direct commercial banks to reserve credit for priority sectors including agriculture and rural development, export, auxiliary technologies, small and medium-sized enterprises, high-tech businesses in addition to ensuring credit quality.

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Industry and Trade shall closely monitor economic situation in the world, timely provide proposals on foreign policy and external economic relations to the Party and the State. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall effectively deploy diplomatic activities, coordinate with ministries and agencies to successfully organize APEC Year 2017.

- The Ministry of Finance shall strengthen state financial – budgetary disciplines; direct the management of state revenues and expenditures, and public debt to ensure national financial security; propose amendments and supplements to the Law on Value Added Tax, and concurrently report to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Justice before February 15, 2017 for synthesis and inclusion in the 2017 revised Program for law and ordinance building before submitting to the National Assembly Standing Committee.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall coordinate with local authorities to take advantage of favorable weather conditions to promote agriculture, forestry and fisheries production; proactively prepare plans for the prevention and control of diseases on crops, livestock, and for climate change adaptation; review and formulate criteria to identify agricultural programs and projects applying advanced technology as well as the list of high technologies in agriculture as a foundation for the promulgation of preferential policies and mechanisms; take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and other relevant ministries, agencies, and localities to propose solutions to reduce intermediary costs, minimize price loss of farm produces, and guarantee income for farmers.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall coordinate with the Central Committee of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front and the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Finance, Industry and Trade, Transport, the Viet Nam Cooperative Alliance, the Government Office and local authorities to prepare for a conference to review five-year implementation of the 2012 Law on Cooperatives in the first quarter of 2017.

- The Steering Committee for Enterprise Renewal and Development shall coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other relevant ministries and agencies to prepare for the Enterprise Conference scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2017.

- The Ministry of Transport shall collaborate with localities, especially Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City to accelerate the implementation progress and ensure the quality of transport infrastructure projects; continue strict deployment of regulations and conditions in automobile transportation business; direct and inspect units providing transportation services to ensure safety of technical facilities, quality of services serving travel needs of the people, especially during the festive season.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall collaborate with relevant ministries and agencies to boost industrial production; ensure sufficient electricity and water supply for production; continue to stimulate and promptly remove obstacles to promote exports; focus on settling unprofitable and inefficient projects.

- The Ministry of Public Security shall direct the timely prevention and combat against anti-state activities, ensure stable political security, social order and safety, focusing on strategic areas; continue to implement plans to attack and suppress crimes, actively implement fire prevention measures, organize activities to patrol, control, guide, direct traffic distribution, and ensure traffic order and safety.

- The Ministry of National Defense shall strengthen situation monitoring initiatives and coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to actively develop measures to cope with unfavorable changes related to national defense, security and sovereignty.

- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall collaborate with other ministries, agencies and localities to promote the development of tourism into a spearhead economic sector, coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security to effectively deploy the pilot grant of e-visas for foreigners entering Viet Nam; strengthen the management and organization of festivals, ensure the organization of festivals in a thrifty manner, avoiding ostentation and waste, ensure safety for tourists; preserve and promote the nation's cultural identity; inspect, detect and strictly handle the negative behaviors at festivals, tourist attractions.

- The Ministry of Health shall coordinate with relevant ministries, agencies and localities to organize a conference on the development of Vietnamese medicinal plants in the first quarter of 2017, and strengthen disease prevention and control of food safety.

- The Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs shall collaborate with localities to develop solutions to safeguard the labor force for the production and business activities of enterprises, especially in industrial parks, and follow up with the living conditions of the people in pre-harvest season for timely relief measures.

- The Ministry of Information and Communications shall direct the promotion of information and communication activities, create playful spirit and enthusiasm in work and production right from the early days of the New Year, mobilize the whole society to build team trust, determination, and consensus to successfully fulfill the socio-economic development tasks in 2017.

2. Regarding the draft Decree on goods, services and areas eligible for state monopoly in commercial activities

The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall collaborate with the Government Office, relevant ministries and agencies to collect opinions of the Government towards regulating state monopoly in commercial activities of goods, services and areas used for national​​defense and security; ministers of Defense and Public Security were assigned to develop specific implementation guidance. The Ministry of Trade and Industry shall complete the draft Decree thereof and submit to the Prime Minister for issuance in February 2017.

3. Regarding the Draft Law on Forest Protection and Development (Revised)

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall lead and coordinate with the Government Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Science and Technology and other relevant ministries and agencies to collect opinions of the Cabinet members and complete the draft Law and report to the Prime Minister before submitting to the National Assembly.

4. Regarding the proposal of the Government on the planned program to develop laws and ordinances in 2018 and revised program for law and ordinance building in 2017

The Government shall continue to consider institutional development as one of the most important and top priority tasks. The Government required each minister and head of ministerial-level agency to urgently direct the review and study tasks on institutional development and improvement stated in the resolutions issued by the Party, National Assembly, and the Government and written guidance of the Prime Minister to supplement to and complete contents of proposals to develop laws and ordinances, complete dossiers, plan enough time to draft and submit draft laws and ordinances for approval, consult with the Deputy Prime Ministers and send documents to the Ministry of Justice prior to February 15, 2017 for synthesis and reporting to the Prime Minister before submitting to the National Assembly Standing Committee./.

ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT

PRIME MINISTER

(Signed)

Nguyen Xuan Phuc