Resolution No. 03/NQ-CP dated January 15, 2010 of the Government on major solutions to directing and managing the implementation of the 2010 socio-economic development plan and state budget estimates

THE GOVERNMENT

Resolution No. 03/NQ-CP of January 15, 2010, on major solutions to directing and managing the implementation of the 2010 socio-economic development plan and state budget estimates

In 2009, our country encountered a lot of difficulties and challenges. However, under the Party’s clear-sighted leadership and the State’s resolute and effective management and with the entire people’s unity and concerted efforts, we have managed to weather the hardest period, curbing the economic decline and fruitfully realizing many socio-economic development objectives and targets. Still, our country also witnessed many difficulties, limitations and weaknesses which need to be addressed in the coming period.

The year 2010 is the last year of the 2006-2010 five-year plan and the 2001-2010 ten-year strategy for socio-economic development. Therefore, the successful implementation of the 2010 plan would be greatly important for the fulfillment of objectives and tasks of the 2006-2010 five-year plan and the 2001-2010 ten-year strategy, and lay important premises for socio-economic development in the coming period.

In order to fruitfully implement the National Assembly’s Resolutions No. 36/2009/QH12 on the 2010 socio-economic development plan; No. 37/2009/QH12 on the 2010 state budget estimates; and No. 38/2009/QH12 on the allocation of the 2010 central budget, the Government requests ministries, branches and provincial-level People’s Committees to concentrate efforts on directing, managing and organizing in a resolute manner the performance of the following major tasks and solutions:

Part I

OBJECTIVES AND TASKS OF AND MAJOR SOLUTIONS TO DIRECTING AND MANAGING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2010 SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND STATE BUDGET ESTIMATES

A. OBJECTIVES AND TASKS

1. Overall objectives

To strive for restoration of an economic growth rate higher than that of 2009, and greater macro-economic stability; to raise the growth quality; to prevent the recurrence of high inflation; to enhance the capability to ensure social security; to undertake active integration and raise the effectiveness of international economic cooperation; to firmly maintain political stability and social order and safety; to meet all national defense and security requirements; to strive for the fulfillment of the targets of the 2006-2010 five-year socio-economic development plan at the highest level.

2. Major tasks

First, to tap all potentials and efficiently utilize all resources, especially internal resources, for investment in and development of production and business; to step up economic restructuring, and raise the productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of products, enterprises and the entire economy.

Second, to assure major balances of the economy, striving for a reduced trade deficit and improvement of the international payment balance; to incrementally reduce the budget deficit and implement appropriate fiscal and monetary policies in order to prevent high inflation and improve the stability of the macro economy, and create a favorable environment for investment and business.

Third, to concentrate efforts on agricultural and rural development; to implement the program on building a new-style countryside; to develop a comprehensive, efficient and sustainable agriculture; to further improve the living standards of farmers.

Fourth, to develop all social domains in harmony with economic development; to step up the implementation of the program on sustainable poverty reduction; to further open up and raise the quality of social welfare and security; to intensify environmental protection, proactively prevent and combat natural disasters and cope with climate change; to concentrate efforts on solving pressing social problems.

Fifth, to take another stride in administrative reforms, further improve the market economy mechanism and create an equal competitive environment; to develop highly qualified human resources and build socio-economic infrastructure, thereby facilitating economic restructuring and transformation of economic models toward in-depth growth and ensuring rapid and sustainable development.

Sixth, to firmly protect the national sovereignty and assure political security and social order and safety; to expand international relations, raise the effectiveness of external affairs and international economic integration, make the best of external resources, and create a favorable environment for national development.

B. MAJOR SOLUTIONS

I. RECOVERING AND RESTRUCTURING THE ECONOMY AND RAISING THE GROWTH QUALITY

1. Boosting economic growth, striving for a growth rate higher than that of 2009

a/ Concentrating efforts on improving the investment and business environment, and regaining as soon as possible a positive economic growth rate

- Reviewing and revising regulations on creation of the investment and business environment, especially procedures for market entry and departure, customs clearance and tax declaration and payment, in order to save time and cost for enterprises. Promptly issuing legal documents guiding laws concerning investment, business, bidding and land management and use. Stepping up the implementation of the Program on reform of procedures for business registration and enterprise establishment registration.

- Further guiding and organizing the application of economic stimulation solutions in the direction of providing supports for regaining economic growth and maintaining the macro-economic stability and concurrently stepping up economic restructuring and raising the productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy; concentrating on assisting small- and medium-sized enterprises, agriculture, rural areas and making medium- and long-term investments. Materializing policies in support of research, development and transfer of technologies, and brand building; introducing and advertising products and goods; expanding export and domestic markets; supporting the reservation and preservation of foods and other important products.

- Promulgating financial and tax policies to assist enterprises in overcoming difficulties, boosting production, business and export in accordance with international commitments. To extend the enterprise income tax payment deadline to March 31, 2010, for small- and medium-sized enterprises in some industries and sectors and textile-garment and leather-footwear enterprises;

- Further stepping up the reorganization, renewal and development and raising operation effectiveness of state enterprises; perfecting financial mechanisms and policies for determination of land prices and sale of shares to strategic shareholders and employees;

- Using and flexibly implementing monetary and credit policy tools and taking appropriate measures to facilitate the borrowing of soft loans by enterprises and people for their production and business;

- Enhancing the management and supervision of competition, handling of violations of the competition law to ensure fair and lawful competition, providing enterprises of all economic sectors with equal business opportunities;

- Taking measures to enforce intellectual property rights and promote technology transfer. Revising and improving the system of Vietnam standards and technical regulations, especially those on food and medicine quality, safety and hygiene and environmental protection. Effectively applying solutions to raising the productivity, quality and competitiveness of Vietnamese products and goods;

- Intensifying the provision of forecasts and information on the national labor market and building a database on the labor market; organizing job recommendation and placement floors to supply laborers for industrial parks and enterprises, especially those in localities in the three key economic regions. Guiding the implementation of policies and regulations on salary, social insurance, and labor conditions, safety and protection. Enhancing the inspection and prompt settlement of labor disputes. Raising the capacity of entities engaged in the quality registration and inspection of products and goods subject to stringent requirements on labor safety;

- Renewing and perfecting mechanisms and policies to raise the use efficiency of land resources, address existing weaknesses in the payment of compensations for ground clearance and resettlement, thereby assuring legitimate interests of lawful land users. Implementing the policy to reserve land areas to be exclusively used by the State for public-utility purposes, materialization of social policies, regulation of the land market and provision of resettlement supports. Drawing maps on the land use status in 2010 nationwide; building a system of cadastral dossiers and land administration databases; basically completing the grant of land use rights certificates in 2010 under the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 07/2007/QH12.

b/ Mobilizing and effectively using capital sources for development investment

- Further improving the management mechanism and reforming investment procedures; revising criteria and norms for allocation of investment capital from the state budget for the coming period of budget stabilization. Reviewing and evaluating results of national target programs and other key programs and projects; identifying national target programs during 2011-2015; setting out principles and criteria for allocation of state budget funds for, a process of evaluation, and mechanisms for management, monitoring and evaluation of national target programs;

- Revising the list of the State’s investment projects based on investment priorities and objectives; allocating funds for projects planned to be completed in 2010, and key or urgent works and projects. Resolutely refusing to allocate funds for projects which are not urgent or have not yet gone through all required procedures;

- Taking coordinated measures to accelerate the construction of electricity, traffic infrastructure and urban works. Closely monitoring the disbursement of development investment capital and government bond capital;

- Enhancing the inspection and supervision of work construction, combating wasteful use of capital and materials and assuring the quality of works, promptly detecting, preventing and sanctioning violations in order to raise investment efficiency;

- Mobilizing capital sources for achieving socio-economic development objectives. Promulgating and implementing incentives for investors of all economic sectors to invest in infrastructure construction;

- Closely collaborating with donors in identifying and addressing with appropriate solutions difficulties and problems in order to speed up and increase the rate of official development assistance (ODA) capital disbursement, ensuring the achievement of highest results of ODA attraction and use during 2006-2010;

- Intensifying investment promotion and concurrently creating favorable conditions for and adopting policies to promote investment in industries and production sectors which can turn out a high added value and boost export. Enhancing the management of foreign investment capital attraction and addressing sectionalism and regionalism;

- Reviewing and inspecting the implementation of investment projects which have been granted investment certificates but are not implemented on time due to their investors’ incapability, in order to reassign them to other investors.

c/ Boosting export and domestic trade

- Boosting export

+ Applying solutions of renewing technologies, saving energy and materials, reducing input expenses and raising competitiveness of exports; using more domestically produced goods and supplies; promoting support industries in service of export production; abolishing unreasonable charges and fees; reforming customs clearance and tax procedures;

+ Intensifying and raising the effectiveness of trade promotion, expanding and diversifying export markets, attaching importance to new potential markets. Boosting export by making the best of trade preferences for members of WTO, free trade area agreements, bilateral economic agreements and generalized system of preferences (GSP) for developing countries;

+ Revising mechanisms and policies on, and flexibly adjusting export duty rates to promote export and circulation of goods;

+ Studying and implementing export credit insurance on a trial basis;

+ Step by step building distribution channels for a number of export items in which Vietnam has advantages, such as rice, coffee and mechanical engineering products; concentrating efforts on developing new markets, especially Africa and the Middle East;

+ Contacting and coordinating with administrations of border provinces of bordering countries in promptly solving problems in import, export and border trade and exchange activities;

+ Early warning the possibility of anti-dumping or anti-countervailing lawsuits against Vietnamese exports. Actively lobbying foreign countries to recognize Vietnam’s market economy and settling lawsuits filed by foreign parties in order to get greater access to export markets;

+ Planning and developing the system of trade infrastructure, transport and forwarding terminals and ports, goods storehouses at border gates; raising the effectiveness of forwarding services and organizing channels for distribution of goods from production places to border gates.

- Developing domestic trade

+ Further improving legal provisions on goods distribution and price management in order to effectively develop domestic trade;

+ Stepping up trade promotion activities, effectively launching the movement “Vietnamese people prioritize the use of Vietnamese goods,” fully tap the domestic market, attaching importance to the rural market. Raising the quality, improving designs and models and reducing costs of products so as to improve their competitiveness;

+ Perfecting distribution systems on the retail market, especially systems of distribution of essential and important goods (foods, petrol and oil, steel, fertilizers, cement), the system of marketplaces, trading cooperatives, retail shops and households in localities. Setting up links between producers and distributors in order to form stable goods distribution channels, contributing to effectively managing food quality, hygiene and safety from production to consumption, and increasing the reputation of Vietnamese goods on the market;

+ Intensifying e-commerce activities. Promoting the online provision of public services, building and developing appropriate models of e-commerce favorable for enterprises’ participation.

2. Restructuring the economy and raising its competitiveness and development quality of economic sectors and regions

a/ Accelerating economic restructuring

- Finalizing and implementing as soon as possible the scheme on economic renewal and restructuring from now to 2020 in the direction of raising the productivity, quality, effectiveness and competitiveness of the economy;

- Stepping up the restructuring of enterprises and building a contingent of national enterprises. Promoting the vigorous development of enterprises under mixed ownership, especially joint-stock companies. Accelerating the equitization and raising the efficiency of state enterprises; completing the shift of state enterprises to operate under the Law on Enterprises. Upholding the role and responsibility of state owner in directing investment by state enterprises. Creating favorable conditions for private enterprises, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises, to access to development resources. Intensifying the capital accumulation and concentration for forming enterprises with great financial and technology potential, strong brands and international competitiveness and capability to participate in the global production network and value chain.

b/ Developing agriculture and rural areas and improving living standards of farmers

- Further implementing the Government’s program of action for implementation of the resolution of the Xth Party Central Committee’s 7th plenum on agriculture, farmers and rural areas;

- Implementing the national target program on building a new-style countryside. Supplementing and modifying a number of policies to mobilize social resources and a number of management mechanisms to make them suitable to practical situation and capacity of grassroots authorities. Implementing the program on rural construction planning;

- Further removing difficulties and providing supports for agricultural production, forestry and fisheries, first of all difficulties in the sale of paddy, rice, aquatic products and some other farm produce, in order to promote production development, create jobs and increase incomes for farmers. Managing the rice trading and export on the principles of a state-managed market and food security assurance. Materializing the policies on supports for reduction of post-harvest wastage of agricultural and aquatic products provided in the Government’s Resolution No. 48/ND-CP of September 23, 2009, supports for protection of land areas under rice and greater investment in the preservation and processing of agricultural, forest and aquatic products. Taking the initiative in preventing and combating diseases and epidemics affecting plants and livestock, taking measures to prevent, combat and mitigate natural disasters and support the post-disaster production restoration. Promulgating and implementing on a pilot basis policies on insurance for agricultural production;

- Taking measures to promote production, raise the quality and efficiency of and expanding markets for agricultural, forest and aquatic products to meet domestic and export needs. Attaching importance to the construction of technical infrastructure in areas for concentrated aquaculture and fishing logistic establishments, and natural disaster prevention and combat. Implementing credit and interest rate support policies for agriculture and rural areas;

- Intensifying the application of scientific and technological advances to production, processing and preservation, associated with development of new agricultural production models and job training for farmers; consolidating and forming local centers for technology application and transfer. Prioritizing the application of biotechnology to creating plant varieties and livestock breeds of high yield, quality and value, especially rice, maize and fruit tree varieties and aquatic strains;

- Intensifying measures for implementation of the project on plantation of 5 million hectares of forest. Stepping up forestation combined with forest protection and implementation of support policies so that foresters can stabilize their life and improve their living standards.

c/ Developing industry, construction and urban areas

- Promoting industrial development in the direction of raising industrial productivity, quality and competitiveness; developing modeling industries in sectors with advantages for participating in processes bringing about a high added value and large profits in the global value chain. Rapidly developing support industries and mechanical engineering industry, thereby turning out groups of products and creating premises for gradually shifting from processing and assembling industries with a low added value to manufacturing industries;

- Building the capacity to manufacture equipment and equipment in complete sets for cement, fertilizer, electricity and shipbuilding industries and floating and mechanical equipment for agriculture. Attracting foreign direct investment first of all in processing, manufacturing and hi-tech industries, thereby creating new exports;

- Studying and applying appropriate measures to encourage enterprises to reorganize their production in the direction of bringing into play their advantages and raising their efficiency and competitiveness; promoting the production of import substitutes;

- Taking measures to improve the capacity of entities managing the quality of construction works and assure safety of construction activities; modifying, supplementing and perfecting the system of construction regulations and standards; raising the capacity of the construction and installation industry to meet domestic needs and requirements of international bidding;

- Implementing the Law on Urban Planning and the national program on upgrading of urban centers. Implementing necessary mechanisms and policies to encourage and step up renovation of old condominiums in urban centers. Organizing the proper implementation of the planning on water supply and drainage in urban centers. Improving the urban traffic network and developing mass transit vehicles, curbing and reducing traffic congestions, especially in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City;

- Developing in a coordinated manner service of legal counseling, notarization, assessment, auction and registration of real estate transactions; building a system of real estate information.

d/ Developing services

- Taking measures to rapidly develop and modernize financial, telecommunications, transport, tourist and consultancy services. Promoting the development of logistic services to reduce freight and distribution charges;

- Stepping up tourism promotion and advertisement; attracting more international tourists through introducing major cultural events such as the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi and international sports tournaments to be held in Vietnam. Diversifying tourist forms and products and combining tourism with culture, beliefs and back-to-roots tourism;

- Raising the capacity of mass passenger transportation in big cities; applying forms of multi-modal transportation. Raising the quality of vehicles and services of transport sectors;

- Formulating mechanisms and policies to improve the effectiveness of management and development of postal and telecommunications toward modernity and high competitiveness in the context of international economic integration.

e/ Developing regional economy and marine economy

- Bringing into the fullest play potential and advantages of each region for its construction and development in order to create a driving force for fast and sustainable development of the whole country. Strongly developing the key economic regions and dynamic territorial regions, thereby facilitating the development of other regions. Further prioritizing the investment in and support of difficulty-hit areas;

- Promulgating particularly preferential mechanisms and policies for projects on mineral exploitation and processing, building of medium- and small-sized hydropower plants, building of border-gate economic zones in the northern midland and mountainous areas; building of hydropower plants, mineral exploitation, processing of agricultural and forest products, development of forest economy, cattle husbandry and hi-tech agriculture in the Central Highlands. Formulating mechanisms and policies to attract investment in the western South Vietnam;

- Promulgating new mechanisms and policies to fully tap potential resources for the development of the country’s marine economy and defense. Perfecting mechanisms for development, management and exploitation of a database on marine natural resources and environment of Vietnam, ensuring its systematism, synchronism and modernity, to effectively serve the materialization of the policy on development of marine economy in the direction of seaward development and mastery of sea areas. Elaborating a master plan on zoning sea areas to serve as a basis for organization of exploitation, use and protection of natural resources, socio-economic development in sea areas and on islands. For the immediate future, concentrating on vigorously and effectively developing coastal economic zones.

- Implementing marine scientific and technological research programs to develop scientific grounds for general management of sea areas, islands and coastal areas. Applying advanced methods and technologies to forecasting, culturing, exploiting and managing marine product resources, building marine works, surveying and exploring minerals, developing marine economic sectors and protecting the ecological environment, security and national defense in sea areas and islands.

II. FLEXIBLY AND PRUDENTLY MANAGING FINANCIAL AND MONETARY POLICIES  TO STABILIZE THE MACRO ECONOMY, CONTROL THE TRADE DEFICIT AND PREVENT THE RECURRENCE OF HIGH INFLATION

1. Implementing flexible fiscal policies under a strict control, striving for increase in revenues, thoroughly practicing thrift and raising the effectiveness of state budget expenditure, thereby reducing the state budget deficit in 2010 to below 6.2% and lower in subsequent years. Harmoniously implementing fiscal and monetary policies and other policies to achieve the overall socio-economic objectives set for 2010.

2. Perfecting the legal framework and enhancing management and surveillance of the financial market and capital market, ensuring proper operation of these markets as important channels of capital raising for both enterprises and the entire economy, contributing to stabilizing the macro economy.

3. Resolutely directing the collection of state budget revenues, striving for an average increase of over 5% in state budget revenues nationwide compared to the state budget estimates approved by the National Assembly. Provinces and cities with favorable conditions shall strive for a greater increase in state budget revenues, while provinces meeting with difficulties shall increase their state budget revenues by at least 2%. Urging the recovery of and taking necessary measures, including coercive measures, to recover tax arrears. Preventing evasion and underpayment of taxes and charges, especially royalties, tax on real estate business, import and export duties and service charges.

4. Prioritizing state budget spending for performance of important political tasks. Enhancing the management of expenditures outside the state budget balance, borrowing of loans for on-lending, guarantees for government loans, non-budgetary financial funds, loans of local administrations and budgetary advances. Strictly managing national debts and assuring the national financial security in any circumstances.

5. Concentrating resources on materializing social security policies and adjusting salaries. Reviewing social security policies before providing intensive budget allocations for fulfillment of objectives set for 2010; considering, integrating, ensuring the efficiency of and avoiding waste in the performance of spending tasks according to adopted policies; carefully calculating before allocating resources for performance of new tasks, ensuring the national financial balance and security.

6. Perfecting mechanisms and policies for and intensifying the inspection and supervision of the lottery market to ensure its healthy and stable operation; studying, elaborating and promulgating regulations on prize-winning entertainment and recreation activities to meet people’s healthy entertainment needs.

7. Raising the quality and effectiveness of implementation of policies and laws on corporate finance; reorganizing operation and raising the effectiveness of main production or business lines of state business groups and corporations; effectively and efficiently exercising state ownership in state enterprises.

Additionally promulgating regulations on state enterprise management responsibility and penalties against violations of ministries, agencies, provincial-level People’s Committees and boards of directors of state business groups and corporations. Providing more specific and explicit criteria for financial evaluation of enterprises, supervision and assessment of enterprises, and enhancing supervision of the operation and effectiveness of state capital and assets at enterprises.

8. Managing monetary policy tools in a proactive, flexible and prudent manner in order to stabilize the monetary market, ensure the liquidity of the banking system, control the growth rate of the total payment instruments, outstanding credit loans and apply appropriate interest and exchange rates to suit the practical situation, stimulate the economic growth, stabilize the macro economy and prevent the recurrence of high inflation.

9. Flexibly managing the foreign exchange market and rates in relation to interest rates, consumer price index, trade balance and other investment channels in order to boost exports, reduce trade deficits and better the international payment balance. Further improving the legal framework for foreign exchange management to raise the effectiveness of the State’s regulation. Performing resolute, unified, prompt and proper management of the gold market and foreign currency market in order to ensure their stable and healthy operation; preventing and strictly handling illegal gold and foreign currency trading activities.

10. Further revising and improving monetary, credit and banking operation institutions, focusing on the draft Law on the State Bank (amended) and the draft Law on Credit Institutions (amended); formulating and implementing a scheme on expansion of non-cash payment in the economy.

11. Further directing credit institutions in restructuring their assets and capital sources in the direction of assuring safety and sustainability; intensively investing in developing agriculture, rural areas, production, business and economic infrastructure, and boosting export.

12. Promulgating a list of imported products and goods likely to become unsafe (products and goods of group 2 under the Law on Product and Goods Quality) and relevant technical regulations meeting requirements of human health and eco-environmental protection to enhance the management of goods quality and food hygiene, limit the import of inessential or domestically available goods items, with a view to achieving the objective of controlling imports and mitigating trade deficits.

13. Assuring the supply-demand balance of key commodity items of the national economy; promoting the development of domestic production; attaching importance to supports for investment projects on production of quality import substitutes in order to put these projects into operation as soon as possible for turning out and marketing products.

14. Following every development of domestic and foreign markets and elements which might have an effect on domestic goods prices before promptly applying measures to regulate the supply-demand balance and stabilize the market, especially those of essential goods items, thus avoiding goods scarcity and price hikes. Taking measures to promptly and effectively prevent goods speculation and hoarding to increase prices. Continuing the application of prices according to the market mechanism subject to state management, including prices of electricity and coal for electricity generation.

15. Managing border trade in the direction of encouraging export and controlling imports. Intensifying measures to detect and promptly and effectively prevent trade frauds, tax evasion and cross-border smuggling, especially smuggling in petrol, oil, cigarettes, minerals and foods.

III. PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT AND RAISING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION, TRAINING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Renewing, and raising the quality of, education and training at all levels, especially job training and tertiary education. Attaching importance to training human resources to meet development requirements of the economy, especially highly skilled technical and technological laborers. Conducting training based on labor demands. Combining the State’s intensive investment with mobilization of social resources (including foreign resources) for education and training development. Striving for the target that 40% of the total labor force will be trained laborers in 2010.

2. Supplementing and perfecting regulations on conditions on establishment and upgrading of universities and colleges, opening of new training disciplines and enrollment of students and trainees; forbidding training establishments which fail to satisfy prescribed conditions from enrolling trainees.

3. Stepping up renewal of the management of the educational system. Reviewing, supplementing, perfecting and strictly implementing regulations on operation of schools; decentralizing and upholding responsibilities of provincial-level People’s Committees toward local schools; increasing these schools’ autonomy and accountability and practicing three domains (quality, resources and financial revenues and expenditures) subject to publicity; enhancing inspection, examination and supervision of the implementation of regulations on quality management.

4. Developing the job training system, gradually raising the job training quality. Forming and developing a high-quality job training and vocational system to meet requirements for technical personnel; developing job training centers to provide basic and under-3 month job training courses for all laborers and retraining courses. Developing, and raising the quality of, teachers, trainers and job training administrators according to national, regional and international standards. Managing job training to ensure its satisfactory quality under regulations applicable to all job training levels. Implementing policies on appropriate supports for both trainees and job training establishments, including preferential loans for job training, supports for the young and demobilized soldiers to learn jobs.

5. Consolidating links between job training establishments and the job recommendation and placement system (providing vocational training, information on the labor market, job counseling and recommendation, and supplying laborers) as well as enterprises; encouraging and creating conditions for training establishments and enterprises to perform contracts or place orders for job training, associated training or retraining, and adopting mechanisms for enterprises to pay job training costs upon receiving trained laborers.

6. Organizing the effective implementation of the scheme on job training for rural laborers. Attaching importance to job training associated with the change of occupations and trades for farmers whose land is recovered by the State.

7. Further renewing education programs, contents and methods at all grades in combination with reforming education administration and raising the quality of enrolled students, lecturers and administrators. Increasing the proportion of lectures to students in the tertiary education system, and building schools and classes up to prescribed standards. Fruitfully implementing the scheme on advanced training and further studying the model of international-level universities before realizing it according to an appropriate roadmap.

8. Promoting scientific and technological development and taking appropriate measures to apply research outcomes to production and business in order to raise the productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of products, enterprises and the entire economy; transferring scientific and technological research outcomes to farmers; putting scientists in alliance with enterprises and farmers.

9. Encouraging enterprises to invest in renewing research technologies and master key technologies for the purposes of saving raw materials and energy and increasing added value and competitiveness of products, contributing to creating a driving force for growth.

10. Vigorously developing scientific and technological services, especially services of information, consultancy, brokerage, assessment, evaluation and appraisal of technologies, intellectual property, standards and technical regulations. Forming and consolidating a system of scientific and technological information centers; developing technological and equipment markets, e-transaction floors; forming technological exchange floors in key economic regions.

11. Rapidly and effectively developing the fund for scientific and technological development, the national fund for technological renewal and the national fund for venture investment in high technologies to support and promote research, application and renewal of technologies in industries and sectors.

12. Preparing infrastructure in terms of legal grounds, manpower and technical safety for development of nuclear power. Implementing the master plan on development and use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes through 2020.

IV. MAKING PROGRESSES IN HEALTH CARE, CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF PEOPLE’S CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL LIVING STANDARDS

1. Further raising the quality of medical examination and treatment, well realizing the state policy on investment in the renovation, expansion and upgrading of existing hospitals, building of new ones and procurement of medical instruments and equipment. Issuing simple and easy-to-follow regulations on administrative procedures applicable to patients so that they observe them in a convenient and swift manner. Upholding medical ethics on the condition that living standards of health workers are improved; diversifying medical services and promoting the development of hi-tech medical services; and mobilizing resources for investment in building a system of hospital waste management and disposal.

2. Elaborating a bracket of medical service charge rates that charges will cover all reasonable expenses while ensuring the harmonious combination of state supports with contributions of financially capable patients, and concurrently properly implementing health insurance, opening up voluntary health insurance, modifying and adjusting health insurance eligible subjects and benefits so that the poor, people meeting with difficulties and policy beneficiaries can get access to health services.

3. Enhancing the state management of production, import, circulation and supply of medicines, adopting a mechanism to control medicine prices at reasonable levels and prevent abnormal price hikes, and strictly managing private medical examination and treatment activities.

4. Taking measures to address the problem of patient overload in hospitals. Intensifying out-patient treatment, developing and propagating model projects on satellite hospitals, seconding health workers from higher-level to lower-level hospitals for periodical assistance, organizing cooperation among hospitals of all sectors and between public and non-public hospitals. Consolidating and improving the grassroots health network; accelerating the building, renovation and upgrading of district hospitals, inter-district general hospitals and hospitals specialized in tuberculosis, psychopathology, pediatrics or oncology and a number of provincial-level general hospitals in mountainous and difficulty-hit areas. Encouraging all economic sectors to invest in developing medical examination and treatment establishments, especially those providing hi-tech medical examination and treatment.

5. Enhancing preventive medicine; stepping up disease and epidemic prevention and combat, preventing big outbreaks. Concentrating on containing and effectively stamping out dangerous, new and widespread diseases and epidemics such as hemorrhagic fever, type-A influenza H1N1 and type-A influenza H5N1, minimizing the morbidity and mortality rates. Properly conducting communication activities to improve public awareness about the significance and importance of preventive medicine and responsibility of authorities at all levels, all sectors, the community and each citizen; consolidating physical foundations of preventive medicine networks at all levels.

6. Stepping up the implementation of population and family planning policies; maintaining a fairly low birth rate. Further improving legal documents and schemes on population control. Intensifying community-based communication, education and counseling.

7. Developing culture combined with tourism and economic activities. Further improving the system of cultural regulations and institutions. Organizing the effective implementation of the movement “All the people unite to build a cultured life.” Intensifying propaganda and education about ethical values and lifestyle of the family. Raising the quality of information, press and publication activities. Encouraging the creation of cultural and literary works; raising the quality of artistic and performing activities in service of the masses.

8. Properly organizing cultural and sport activities to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi and major anniversaries of the nation; accelerating the construction of cultural works to complete them on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long.

9. Popularizing mass physical training and sports activities, contributing to improving the people’s cultural and spiritual life and physical strength. Concentrating on developing high-achievement sports in order to gradually raise the profile of Vietnam’s sports in the region and the world. Actively preparing for successful organization of the VIth national sport meet; preparing a contingent of well-trained athletes to compete and record good results in Asian Games 2010.

V. ASSURING SOCIAL SECURITY AND WELFARE

1. Further properly materializing approved policies, programs and projects on social security; and concurrently studying and promulgating new mechanisms and policies to meet the requirements of assurance of social security in the new situation and conditions. Reviewing policies, programs and projects on poverty reduction which will complete in 2010 (the national target program on poverty reduction, phase II of program 135, the national target program on employment), studying and promulgating appropriate policies, programs and projects for the next period.

2. Implementing the mechanism of supervision by organizations in the political system and the people over social security policies, ensuring that social security policies and benefits are realized effectively under regulations; stepping up the movement “All the people help the disadvantaged in society”; developing and effectively using charity and humanitarian funds.

3. Properly organizing the monitoring and assessment of impacts and damage caused by natural disasters and epidemics in order to promptly use reserve funds for natural disaster and epidemic combat and mobilize social resources for quick production rehabilitation and stabilization of the people’s life. Taking in a coordinated manner various measures to reduce traffic accidents, labor accidents, natural disasters and epidemics and their casualties.

4. Promulgating policies to guarantee profits at least equal to 30% of production costs for commodity rice farmers. Taking measures to open up access to credit loans for agriculture and rural areas. Formulating and perfecting mechanisms and policies on credit loans for the poor and other policy beneficiaries.

5. Actively implementing programs on provision of supports for quick and sustainable poverty reduction for 62 poor districts, the national target program on poverty reduction and supporting poor districts in sending abroad guest workers. Reconsidering and selecting some more poor districts, especially districts densely inhabited by ethnic minority people, before mobilizing all local resources for investment in and provision of supports for quick and sustainable poverty reduction in these districts.

6. Elaborating and promulgating a new poverty line suitable to incomes, consumer prices and living standards of people and close to the international poverty line.

7. Further properly materializing policies on supports for poor pupils and pupils in difficulty-hit areas, children of policy beneficiaries, provision of concessional loans for students of universities, colleges and professional secondary schools.

8. Concentrating on effectively implementing the housing programs for students, low-income earners and industrial park workers, phase II of the program on house base elevation for inhabitants in flood-frequented areas in the Mekong River delta, and the program on housing supports for poor households.

9. Further taking measures to encourage and support labor-intensive enterprises  and support the unemployed. Guiding and properly implementing the policy on unemployment insurance. Adjusting the minimum salary for employees of enterprises from the beginning of 2010. Enhancing management of the employment of foreign laborers; and strictly handling violations in this work.

10. Promoting the sending of Vietnamese guest workers abroad. Developing and expanding the labor export market, especially to countries where Vietnamese guest workers can earn high incomes and be guaranteed of safety; quickly increasing the ratio of Vietnamese guest workers who have been trained in professional skills and foreign languages and provided with orientation education.

11. Properly performing the payment of compensations and provision of supports for resettlement for people whose land is recovered; providing supports in terms of job training, employment, occupation and job change, especially for farmer households having their land recovered.

12. Exempting from or reducting contributions for policy beneficiaries (ethnic minority people and the poor).

13. Widening the scope of and allowing more persons to participate in voluntary social insurance and private insurance. Diversifying forms of social aid and relief.

14. Enhancing the state management to protect legitimate interests of consumers. Preventing counterfeit goods, inferior-quality goods and goods of poor quality, hygiene and safety. Closely managing the import of and trading in plant protection drugs. Modifying and supplementing regulations on hygiene and safety standards and regulations applicable to agricultural, forest and aquatic foods. Disseminating these regulations among, guiding and inspecting establishments producing and trading in agricultural, forest and aquatic products in strictly observing these regulations. Stepping up information and communication on rights and responsibilities of sellers and consumers.

15. Adding entitlements and adjusting allowances for people with meritorious contributions to the nation, speeding up the identification and recognition of these people for materializing the State’s preferential policies. Studying and promulgating as soon as possible mechanisms and policies toward persons directly involved in defending the national seas.

16. Planning and investing in the network of establishments nurturing, caring for and counseling social policy beneficiaries, especially patients of chronic mental diseases, orphans and helpless elderly people.

17. Intensifying communication on and education about gender equality in society in order to improve public awareness about this issue; combating domestic violence; protecting and caring for children.

18. Adjusting policies on detoxification and management of detoxified addicts, provision of supports and job training and creation of jobs for detoxified addicts, policies toward employees of detoxification establishments; encouraging the combination of detoxification and rehabilitation with job training and creation, reduction of the rate of relapse into addiction, and reintegration into the community.

VI. ENHANCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, NATURAL DISASTER PREVENTION AND COMBAT AND RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

1. Further improving the legal framework on environmental protection, prioritizing the elaboration and promulgation of economic tools in environmental management, and perfecting the system of environmental standards and technical regulations.

2. Intensifying the inspection, examination, detection and handling of violations of the law on environmental protection; controlling establishments operating in urban centers, densely populated areas, industrial parks, export processing zones, hi-tech parks, economic zones and areas in key economic regions and big river basins in order to assure the strict implementation of regulations on environmental protection. Properly organizing the management of solid waste in urban centers and industrial parks; applying recycling technologies to limit waste burial and combat water wastage and charge underpayment in urban centers.

Enhancing the management and raising the quality of environmental impact assessment. Environmental protection must be performed right in the process of evaluation and approval of planning, plans and investment projects; enhancing the strict supervision and management of the import of scraps, imposing harsher penalties on violations in this domain, preventing the import of obsolete, energy-inefficient and polluting technologies and equipment.

3. Increasing investment and stepping up the mobilization of social resources for treatment and disposal of waste discharged from hospitals, big urban centers, densely populated areas and craft villages. Further remedying environmental pollution and improving the environment in river basins. Raising the sense of responsibility and role of central and local agencies in solving regional problems of environmental pollution. Promoting investment in natural resources and environmental protection.

4. Propagating models of forestation and forest protection. Intensifying the inspection and strict handling of violations of the law on forest protection, including consumption and processing of timber of unclear origins.

5. Intensifying investment in physical and technical foundations, training and retraining of meteo-hydrological personnel in order to raise the meteo-hydrological forecast capacity, thereby proactively preventing, combating and mitigating natural disasters. Reviewing and drawing experience from natural disaster prevention and combat over the past time in order to take practical measures to prevent and combat natural disasters more actively, effectively and sustainably.

6. Expeditiously elaborating and implementing a general project on building the national dike system in order to actively prevent and combat storms, floods and sea level rise.

7. Organizing the implementation right at the beginning of the year of the national target program on response to climate change, concentrating resources first of all on this work in vulnerable and coastal areas. Researching, surveying and assessing climate change impacts before incorporating them in regional socio-economic development plans. Elaborating a scheme on biodiversity preservation to mitigate impacts of and adapt to global climate change.

8. Stepping up the communication on environmental protection to raising public awareness about and responsibility for environmental protection. Taking the initiative in promoting international cooperation in this domain, especially the management and exploitation of rivers, with countries in their basins.

VII. EXPANDING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, RAISING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXTERNAL AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION ACTIVITIES, CONSOLIDATING NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY, AND ASSURING SOCIAL ORDER AND SAFETY

1. Effectively materializing the Party’s and the State’s external policies, creating favorable environment and conditions for national construction and defense.

Taking the initiative in formulating practical cooperation programs and schemes to deepen and bring the relations with neighboring countries, strategic partners, big countries and traditional friends to a higher level; boosting cooperation with potential partners in the region. Implementing the program on lobbying foreign countries to recognize Vietnam as a market economy; striving for a progress in technical negotiations with the group of partners being big countries.

2. Effectively implementing economic and trade agreements and accords with our partners. Making the best of the benefits brought about by WTO membership, realizing in a harmonious and uniform manner the WTO accession commitments, especially those on services, within the current legal framework and on the principle of causing no difficulties to enterprises and investors. Stepping up negotiations on and realizing regional integration commitments, especially within the ASEAN and ASEAN+. Revising and working out schedules for realizing tariff cut commitments within concluded agreements as suitable to Vietnam’s conditions, which may also promote domestic production.

Bringing into full play Vietnam’s ASEAN and ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) chairmanship to promote the unity, friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and ASEAN members. Implementing the Government’s action program for participation in ASEAN cooperation through 2015. Performing tasks in international cooperation, integration and external finance, especially the role of assuming the prime responsibility for speeding up the process of financial cooperation within ASEAN and ASEAN+3.

3. Further stepping up the settlement of territorial and border issues with bordering countries and properly solving arising problems; implementing the agreements on land border demarcation and marker planting with China, border marker system upgrading with Laos and recognition of border demarcation and marker planting with Cambodia; actively exchanging information with concerned countries to promote cooperation on the sea; resolutely combating all actions in violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereignty rights and national interests in the East Sea.

4. Stepping up economic diplomacy towards intensifying activities of promoting external economy, calling for investment, and expanding export labor and tourism markets. Supervising and consolidating mechanisms for directing and implementing agreements between our high-ranking leaders and foreign counterparts.

5. Proactively and actively undertaking international economic integration; formulating tentative plans and actively participating in the Doha negotiation round; finalizing the strategy for negotiations on bilateral free trade agreements through 2020; continuing with negotiations on the Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP) of the United Nations CTAD (UNCTAD).

6. Further conducting the work of information and communication on and provision of knowledge about international economic integration and trade policies of foreign countries so that enterprises can know and apply. Effectively implementing the post-WTO entry technical assistance program “Maintaining the economic growth for poverty reduction by realizing WTO accession commitments.”

7. Actively performing cultural diplomacy; lobbying the UNESCO to recognize more relics and scenic spots in localities. Stepping up the work of external information, intensifying propaganda on Vietnam’s practical situation and important political and cultural events in the year; actively and promptly correcting or refuting untruthful allegations against Vietnam.

8. Properly materializing the Party’s and the State’s policies toward overseas Vietnamese; rallying and rousing the spirit of patriotism of the overseas Vietnamese community toward the motherland; properly organizing the conference for overseas Vietnamese worldwide; implementing the schemes “policies and measures to attract overseas Vietnamese experts and intellectuals to build the country” and “stepping up the teaching of Vietnamese for overseas Vietnamese from now to 2020.”

9. Conducting propaganda and education in order to raise the awareness and responsibility of the entire political system and every citizen for building an all-people national defense and people’s security.

Adequately and promptly following, appraising and realizing the actual situation, attaching importance to strategic and vulnerable geographical areas, sea areas and islands, actively and effectively coping with complicated circumstances, resolutely combating, deterring and frustrating all plots and acts of sabotage of hostile forces, firmly defending independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of our country; firmly maintaining political security and social order and safety.

Caring for the life of officers, soldiers and servicemen; prioritizing investment in units in strategic areas, border areas and islands.

10. Further properly implementing the national program on crime and social evil prevention and combat. Satisfactorily settling complaints and denunciations of citizens in order to maintain social order and safety.

Mobilizing resources for socio-economic development combined with consolidation of national defense and security in strategic and vulnerable geographical areas. Elaborating and implementing a general scheme on defense-economic zones in land border and sea areas and islands, and a scheme on socio-economic development in CT229 zones (former revolutionary safety zones).

11. Perfecting legal grounds and taking coordinated measures to promptly and strictly handle crimes infringing upon the national security and causing public disturbance and illegal acts in the domain of food hygiene and safety. Taking measures to minimize traffic accidents, preventing and fighting fires and explosions, and addressing traffic congestions in big cities.

12. Properly enforcing the Law on Complaints and Denunciations; concentrating on the settlement of prolonged cases, taking the initiative in addressing problems newly emerging at the grassroots level; applying solutions to limiting crowds of complainants at central agencies.

VIII. RAISING THE EFFECTIVENSS AND EFFICIENCY OF STATE MANAGEMENT; STEPPING UP ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM, CORRUPTION PREVENTION AND COMBAT, THRIFT PRACTICE AND WASTEFULNESS COMBAT

1. Elaborating draft laws and ordinances and legal documents guiding laws and ordinances under the Government’s 2010 working program, ensuring the coordinated and timely promulgation of legal documents.

2. Completing the national master program on public administrative reform for 2001-2010. Pruning at least 30% of current regulations on administrative procedures. Compiling a national standard set of administrative procedures; controlling the promulgation and application of administrative procedures at all administration levels. Accelerating the formation of an e-government and application of technology information to operations of state agencies.

3. Properly conducting the work of planning, training, retraining, use and rotational transfer of cadres, preparing candidates for and successfully organizing conferences of Party Committees at all levels, thereby consolidating and strengthening administrations at all levels.

4. Formulating and implementing 3 pilot schemes on (i) methods for determining working positions and structure of civil servants, (ii) organization of examinations for promotion of civil servant ranks on the principle of competition, and (iii) policies to identify, attract, arrange and preferentially treat talented persons in public duties. Reviewing the program on training and retraining of cadres and civil servants during 2007-2010, and formulating a program for the 2011-2015 period.

5. Appraising, reviewing and drawing experience from the trial non-organization of People’s Councils in urban districts, rural districts and wards.

6. Resolutely and synchronously taking measures to prevent and combat corruption, focusing on those to increase publicity and transparency. Raising the capacity to detect and resolutely and lawfully handle acts of corruption; expeditiously investigating and adjudicating cases of great public concern. Protecting persons who uncover acts of corruption and commending and rewarding those who record merits in corruption prevention and combat.

Promoting thrift practice and wastefulness combat and integrating it with the movement “Follow the moral example of President Ho Chi Minh.”

7. Enhancing surveillance, inspection, examination and audit work; promptly and strictly handling violations.

Specific tasks assigned to ministries and agencies are specified in the Appendix to this Resolution (not printed herein). Regarding schedule, ministries and agencies shall comply with the List promulgated together with the Report reviewing the direction and management of implementation of the Government’s 2009 working regulation and 2010 working program.

Part II

ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. Based on this Resolution and the Government’s 2010 working program, the Government, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and People’s Committees at all levels shall expeditiously elaborate and promulgate, right in January 2010, specific action programs indicating objectives, tasks, duration and units responsible for implementation; and concurrently organize, direct and manage in a resolute, flexible and effective manner the Government’s policies; regularly review the progress and implementation results of their working programs; monthly and quarterly review and evaluate the implementation, and make full and thorough reports under regulations.

2. Ministers and heads of ministerial-level agencies and government-attached agencies shall firmly grasp and properly implement Directive No. 636/CT-TTg of May 20, 2009, on implementation of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents and measures to enforce the Law, attaching importance to raising the capacity of the apparatus and personnel, accelerating the elaboration and submission for promulgation of legal documents detailing and guiding laws and ordinances currently in force and those which takes effect on January 1, 2010, in order to complete them in the first quarter of 2010. The Ministry of Justice shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Government Office in, urging and inspecting the elaboration, amendment and supplementation of legal documents according to schedules.

3. To thoroughly study the effectiveness and impacts of mechanisms and policies to be promulgated, and concurrently pay attention to their enforceability, especially for difficulty-hit provinces, remote and deep-lying areas. To conduct review and evaluate mechanisms and policies which have been or are implemented for proposition, formulation and adoption of appropriate mechanisms and policies to be promulgated.

4. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level and government-attached agencies, and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall direct functional agencies in reviewing and assessing implementation results of strategies, plans and programs on development of sectors and regions through 2010; elaborating development strategies, planning, plans and programs for the coming period to meet requirements of renewal and higher quality and effectiveness. They shall concentrate on elaborating the 2011-2020 socio-economic development strategy and 2011-2015 socio-economic development plan; and concurrently developing a frame work for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the 2011-2015 five-year plan.

5. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and People’s Committees at all levels shall enhance their coordination and at the same time closely work with agencies of the Party, the State, the Fatherland Front and mass organizations in successfully fulfilling the set objectives and tasks; uphold the sense of community responsibility and clearly define functions, tasks, responsibilities and powers of each agency, organization or individuals in their activities. To strive for greater transparency and responsibility of public duties. To intensify supervision, inspection and appraisal of the performance by each agency or organization.

6. Ministries, functional agencies and provincial-level People’s Committees shall take the initiative in carrying out monitoring and supervision activities so as to make proper, timely and flexible policy response; organize specialized teams to study sectors or domains under their assigned charge or the socio-economic development in their localities. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for summarizing forecasts for reporting to the Government and leading authorities, helping them in the direction and management of the economy and elaboration and implementation of socio-economic development plans.

7. The Government shall hold symposiums with localities to promptly address problems arising in the course of implementation of the Resolution; and concurrently maintain monthly briefings to review the implementation and devise measures to step up the implementation of the 2010 plan and state budget estimates.

8. The Government and leaderships of ministries, agencies and local administrations shall further diversify forms of contact and dialogue between them and enterprises and people, and pay attention to directing the response to the latter’s reasonable proposals.

9. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies and government-attached agencies, and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall continue directing the proper implementation of the Regulation on grassroots democracy, heightening the people’s role as supervisors of activities of cadres and state agencies. State agencies shall actively provide adequate and timely information and intensify the exchange of information and receipt of feedbacks from the people and enterprises on mechanisms and policies, especially those which directly affect the people’s life and enterprises’ operation.

10. Ministries, agencies and People’s Committees at all levels shall coordinate with the mass media in further bettering the work of information and communication, creating a high consensus and combined strength of the entire nation for successful fulfillment of the 2010 targets and tasks.

11. Ministries, agencies and provincial-level People’s Committees shall review their implementation of this Resolution; report to the Prime Minister and concurrently send to the Ministry of Planning and Investment implementation results and measures for the Government’s direction and management for the subsequent year before November 10, 2010.

12. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall summarize and appraise the results of implementation of the Resolution by each ministry, agency or locality and report them to the Government at its December 2010 regular meeting.

On behalf of the Government
Prime Minister
NGUYEN TAN DUNG­

Appendix  

TASKS OF AGENCIES

(To the Government’s Resolution No. 03/ND-CP of January 15, 2010)

THE END