With the participation of Deputy Prime Ministers, at the meeting, the Prime Minister summoned leaders of provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta to discuss the situation of rice production, consumption and export; the implementation of transport infrastructure projects, especially ensuring raw materials for projects in the Southern region.

Proactively respond to fast and unpredictable world developments

In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that there is a lot of work at this time, while the world situation is changing rapidly, complicatedly, and unpredictably.

Strategic competition is increasingly fierce; some countries are adjusting trade policies, especially tax policies, affecting import and export, global supply and demand; the world economy is still facing difficulties and recovering slowly.

Domestically, we must both carry out and complete regular tasks; and focus on continuing to reorganize the apparatus in the spirit of Resolution 18, and prepare to reorganize local administrative boundaries in accordance with the latest direction of the Politburo.

Along with that is promoting economic growth with the target of reaching 8% or more in 2025; implementing Resolution 57 of the Politburo on science and technology, innovation, digital transformation; organizing major national holidays...

Although maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, promoting growth, and ensuring major balances of the economy; the Prime Minister said that we must not be negligent, subjective, or lose vigilance because of external developments.

In particular, the recovery of the world economy is still weak, while Vietnam is a developing country, an economy in transition, with a modest economic scale, large openness, and limited resilience to external shocks.

Therefore, the Prime Minister requested Government members and delegates to focus on assessing the situation, emerging issues and Vietnam's policies to continue maintaining macroeconomic stability, promoting growth, controlling inflation, and flexibly and effectively adapting to emerging issues.

With the goal of at least 8% growth, the Prime Minister mentioned a number of specific issues that need attention in direction and management, such as the rice market situation, monetary policy, fiscal policy, interest rate management, public investment disbursement, tax issues, fees and charges to support businesses, etc.

Increased confidence in economic outlook

According to the report of the Ministry of Finance, the socio-economic situation in the first two months achieved many positive results, better than the previous month and the same period last year; people, businesses, domestic and foreign investors, financial institutions, international credit rating organizations... increased their confidence in the economic prospects.

The macro economy is stable, inflation is controlled, and major balances are ensured. The average consumer price index (CPI) in the first two months increased by 3.27% over the same period. State budget revenue reached 25.4% of the estimate, up 25.7% over the same period.

Import-export turnover in the first two months increased by 12% over the same period, of which the trade surplus was estimated at 1.47 billion USD. Total registered FDI capital was over 6.9 billion USD, up 35.5% over the same period; realized capital reached nearly 3 billion USD, up 5.4%.

Major balances, energy security, food security are ensured; budget deficit, public debt, government debt, and foreign debt are well controlled. Production and business activities grow positively, the industrial production index (IIP) in February increased by 16.7% over the same period, and increased by 7.0% in 2 months.

In that context, the Government and the Prime Minister have directed strongly, focusing on perfecting institutions, improving the investment and business environment; handling backlogs and obstacles; promoting key infrastructure projects; and promoting new growth drivers.

Focus on doing well social security work, ensuring people's lives; the fields of culture, society, tourism, sports, information and communication continue to be promoted, in which the Politburo has decided to exempt tuition fees for students until the end of general education.

In particular, all levels, sectors and localities must resolutely implement, ensure progress and requirements for restructuring and streamlining the apparatus; continue to promote the fight against corruption, waste and negativity; ensure political stability, independence and national sovereignty...