Resolution No. 20/2008/QH12 on some socio-economic issues for 2008 in the new situation

RESOLUTION

On some economic and social issues in 2008 in the new situation

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OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM

BASED ON THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM IN 1992 AS AMENDED AND COMPLEMENTED BY RESOLUTION NO. 51/2001/QH10;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 07/2007/NQ-QH12 on the plan for socio-economic development in 2008, Resolution No. 08/2007/NQ-QH12 on the state budget estimate for 2008, the Government's report, the National Assembly's Ethnic Council, various Committees of the National Assembly, relevant agencies and organizations, and the opinions of National Assembly deputies.

RESOLUTION:

I. The National Assembly notes that after five months of implementing the National Assembly’s Resolutions on the socio-economic development plan and the state budget estimate for 2008, alongside some achievements, the country's socio-economic situation has shown significant weaknesses and difficulties, such as: signs of slowing economic growth; inflation continuing to rise sharply, exceeding forecasts; financial and monetary markets experiencing considerable fluctuations; unfavorable factors emerging, causing difficulties for production, business operations, and people's livelihoods, especially the poor and low-income wage earners. These developments have had a certain impact on public sentiment, investor psychology, and enterprise confidence regarding macroeconomic stability.

II. In response to the new situation, the National Assembly adjusts some general objectives and key indicators as follows:

1. Regarding the general objectives:

Strive to control inflation, stabilize the macro-economy, ensure social welfare, and achieve sustainable growth, with controlling inflation being the top priority.

2. Regarding key indicators:

2.1. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2008 will increase by 7%.

2.2. Control inflation and the rate of increase in the consumer price index in the remaining months of 2008.

III. MAJOR TASKS:

The Government needs to proactively and flexibly guide and manage to effectively implement the National Assembly's Resolutions of the 12th Session, Second Meeting on the socio-economic development plan and state budget for 2008, and the adjustments to the general objectives and key indicators in this Resolution. The National Assembly requests the Government to focus on the following key tasks:

1. Continue to concretize, timely adjust reasonably, and implement synchronously measures, mechanisms, and policies to both control inflation and reduce the rate of increase in the consumer price index while ensuring social welfare and not hindering production and business operations.

2. Review and cut back, postpone investment projects funded by the state budget and state-originated funds (including from government bond sources) that are not truly urgent; reallocate and concentrate funds on projects that are effective and capable of completion and utilization in 2008 and 2009 to maintain appropriate economic growth, enhance the efficiency of state capital investment; review and monitor the investment activities of state-owned economic groups and corporations to ensure alignment with the intended direction.

3. All levels, sectors, agencies, and units receiving state budget funding must strictly implement additional savings of 10% in regular expenditures in the remaining months of 2008, striving to save other expenses in a reasonable manner as proposed by the Government.

4. Closely follow reality to be proactive in management and guidance; propose and coordinate the implementation of specific measures in finance, money, and credit fields. Immediately apply appropriate policies and measures to strictly manage and prevent negative market fluctuations in the money market, securities market, and real estate market. Investigate and severely handle speculative activities and false information dissemination aimed at disrupting the market.

5. Promptly address difficulties to create the most favorable conditions for promoting exports, coupled with controlling and restructuring imported goods, reducing imports of non-essential consumer goods and other unnecessary categories, achieving the goal of reducing the trade deficit.

6. Timely resolve difficulties for businesses to boost production and ensure balance between supply and demand for goods serving production and people's lives. Strengthen inspections and controls over input prices for production, particularly essential inputs for export-oriented production and agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; support seedlings and livestock breeds and post-harvest technologies to alleviate difficulties and increase farmers' income. Firmly enforce listed prices and sales according to listed prices for the vast majority of inputs and goods; strictly deal with violations of price management laws.

7. Apply strong measures in market management, promptly and effectively combat smuggling, commercial fraud, speculation, and unreasonable price increases; implement reasonable steps, timing, scale, and methods in the process of reforming prices of major inputs and essential consumer goods still under state control.

8. Based on the National Assembly's Resolution on national land use planning until 2010 and the five-year land use plan from 2006 to 2010, strengthen inspections and supervision of the implementation of land use plans on-site, detailed land use plans, and strictly manage and fully utilize paddy field areas to ensure food security; firmly reclaim land that has been allocated but not used, used inefficiently, or misused.

9. Implement comprehensive measures to ensure employment and address social welfare issues, accelerate poverty reduction efforts, health care services, disaster prevention and control, and disease prevention; adopt specific policies to ensure stable living conditions for the poor, low-income wage earners, ethnic minorities in mountainous regions, and those affected by natural disasters and diseases; ensure access to basic social services for the poor; promptly implement assistance policies and systems, especially in areas heavily impacted by natural disasters and diseases.

10. Summarize the organization of the high school graduation examination, organize and summarize the university entrance examination to further improve annual examination arrangements; identify the causes to address the issue of student dropout rates.

11. Timely resolve complaints and reports from citizens; focus on resolving long-standing cases; promptly conclude serious corruption cases that the Prime Minister, Chairman of the Central Steering Committee for Preventing and Combating Corruption, has directed. Enhance the effectiveness of anti-corruption agencies; leverage the role of the people and news media in the fight against corruption and thrift, and in combating waste.

12. Strengthen consistent and unified coordination among ministries, sectors, and localities; address weaknesses in management and operation; urgently implement approved solutions while enhancing inspection and urging; closely direct and supervise more frequently to promptly identify economic and social situation changes during implementation for timely adjustment of measures, mechanisms, and policies. Emphasize and improve forecasting capabilities.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION

The Government and Ministries, sectors, and People's Committees at all levels shall organize the successful implementation of the socio-economic development plan for 2008 according to their functions and responsibilities.

The Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the National Ethnic Council, the Committees of the National Assembly, the Delegations of the National Assembly, National Assembly deputies, People's Councils, and People's Council deputies at all levels shall monitor the implementation of this Resolution.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and its member organizations shall perform their functions and tasks, mobilize all strata of the population to implement this Resolution well, and supervise its implementation.

The National Assembly calls upon compatriots, soldiers throughout the country, and overseas Vietnamese to raise the spirit of patriotic emulation, unity, and effort to seize favorable opportunities, overcome difficulties and challenges, and successfully fulfill the set goals and tasks, contributing to the successful implementation of the 10th Party Congress Resolution and other National Assembly Resolutions.

This Resolution was adopted by the XIIth Session of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at its third meeting on June 3, 2008./.