Resolution No. 90/NQ-CP dated July 10, 2018, of the Government on the meeting with locality authorities and the Government’s Regular Meeting – June 2018

THE GOVERNMENT

Resolution No. 90/NQ-CP dated July 10, 2018, of the Government on the meeting with locality authorities and the Government’s Regular Meeting – June 2018

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

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 08/2012/ND-CP dated February 16, 2012, 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 meeting with provinces and the Government’s regular meeting in June 2018, held on July 02 and 03, 2018

DECIDES

1. Regarding the socio-economic situation in the first 6 months of 2018 and the implementation of Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP dated January 01, 2018

The Government unanimously agrees that the socio-economic situation in the first 6 months of 2018 continues positive progress. Macro-economy remains stable. Inflation has been kept under control. Reasonable credit growth has been recorded. Interest rates have been relatively stable. Lending rates in priority sectors have fallen. Exchange rates and foreign exchange market are stable. Foreign reserves have increased. Economic growth in the first 6 months of 2018 reaches 7.08%, the highest year-on-year increase since 2011, in which agriculture, forestry, and fishery sector has grown by 3.93%, the highest year-on-year increase since 2012; the industry and construction sector up by 9.07%; the processing and manufacturing sector continues to be the bright spot with a growth rate of 13.02%; the service sector up by 6.9%, the highest year-on-year increase in 7 years. State budget revenues have increased by 14.3% over the same period last year. Export turnover has increased by 16%, of which export turnover of the domestic economic sector has increased by 19.9%, equivalent to US$ 2.7 billion. Business investment environment continues to improve. The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) has risen to 55.7 points, ranking first among ASEAN countries. The disbursed volume of total social investment capital has increased by 10.1%. Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow upsurges. The number of newly registered enterprises and total registered capital also soars. Preferential policies towards people with merit, policies on social security, poverty reduction are implemented thoroughly. People s living standards have improved. The unemployment rate has declined. Public health care receives due attention. The national secondary and high school graduation exams were held seriously, safely and successfully. An innovative start-up ecosystem is gradually being formed. Vietnamese digital knowledge has created a strong effect in the business community and society, especially among the younger generation. Many culturalactivities rich in national identity were observed. Sports have recorded a number of impressive achievements. Due attention has been paid to communication. Defense and security have been strengthened. In principle, social safety order is guaranteed. Foreign affairs and international integration have gained important results.

In addition to the above-mentioned achievements, the country also faces many difficulties and challenges, which include: Economic restructuring has not changed much in quality; restructuring of public investment remains unclear; equitization and divestment remain slow. Inflation pressures continue to increase; business environment improvement lacks synchronicity; labor productivity and competitiveness in many sectors and fields remain low; environmental pollution, deforestation, illegal mining of minerals, sand and gravel are still rampant; natural disasters, floods in some mountainous provinces in the North, landslides in the Mekong Delta have caused serious damage to people and properties; social order and safety in some localities remain complicated; fire and explosions and traffic accidents are at an alarming level. Meanwhile, the world situation is complicated and unpredictable, posing a potential risk on the implementation of the country’s socio-economic development plan.

Determined to successfully achieve the goals and tasks set for 2018, the Government requests ministries, sectors and localities to keep abreast of the motto of “Discipline, Integrity, Action, Creativity, Effectiveness”, uphold the results achieved, timely overcome current constraints and limitations, implement in a coordinated and decisive manner resolutions of the Party, the National Assembly and the Government, especially Resolutions No. 01/NQ-CP, No. 19/2018/NQ-CP, No. 35/NQ-CP, and the Government’s Action Plans to implement Resolutions 4, 5, 6, 7 of the 12th Party’s Central Committee, be proactive, creative, meticulous, and disciplined, and make best effort to create substantial changes in each sector, each field and each locality. Attention should be paid to the following contents:

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the State Bank of Viet Nam shall closely monitor the international and domestic economic situation to promptly have appropriate solutions and actions, and closely cooperate and flexibly coordinate the implementation of policy instruments in order to maintain macroeconomic stability and inflation control in favor of economic growth.

- Ministries, sectors, and localities shall closely monitor production and business situation, and growth of the respective sectors, domains and products under their management so that proper actions should be taken to ensure growth targets, and at the same time, review and identify new growth drivers in the coming period. Ministers, heads of agencies, Chairmen of provincial-level People s Committees, leaders of State groups and corporations shall take responsibility before the Prime Minister for the growth results of the respective sectors or fields as planned, and accelerate economic restructuring along with environmental protection and sustainable development.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall update growth scenarios for the last 6 months of 2018 and the Socio-Economic Development Plan in 2019, taking into account new developments in the international market related to commodity prices, trade flows, and financial investment. Organize inspection and examination activities to clarify the reasons for delayed disbursement, then report to the Prime Minister for further actions. Ministers, heads of agencies and Chairmen of provincial-level People s Committees shall take responsibility before the Prime Minister for the finalization progress of investment and construction bidding procedures and the settlement of public investment projects.

- The task of improving the business investment environment is considered as an important political task of ministries, sectors, and localities, especially for the heads of these agencies. The specialized management agencies shall promptly promulgate, according to their competence, or propose for approval of the legal documents reducing and simplifying by 50% the list of products and goods that are subject to specialized inspection, and specialized inspection procedures, and by 50% of business conditions before August 15, 2018. Resolutely not to create newbusiness conditions in the newly promulgated regulations. And intensely apply information technology in management and operation, enhance publicity and transparency in the performance of state administrative agencies in order to minimize expenses for the people and enterprises.

- The State Bank of Viet Nam shall manage monetary policy actively and flexible, in close coordination with fiscal and other macro policies; synchronously deploy foreign exchange management solutions to stabilize the foreign currency market; develop exchange rate scenarios to limit negative impacts of world economic and financial fluctuations; and coordinate with ministries, sectors, and localities in stepping up the restructuring of credit institutions in association with the handling of bad debts while ensuring the system s safety.

- The Ministry of Finance shall strictly control public debt; strive to increase domestic and export-import revenues, be determined to realize budget revenue goals; strictly control spending, thoroughly adopt saving practices; rectify wasteful spending using state budget money, especially spending on international travel of localities; continue to cut the time and cost associated with the implementation of administrative procedures on tax, customs, and social insurance; direct the synchronous implementation of measures to develop a stable and efficient securities market; closely monitor market developments, review plans to adjust basic commodity prices and public services on the basis of new inflation scenarios, and propose appropriate common price management scenarios.

- Specialized management ministries shall continue to take the initiative in strengthening the forecasting and monitoring of market price developments, to propose detailed price control scenarios for each specific commodity, and manage prices according to the scenarios set up, contributing to control inflation and support economic growth.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall direct the transformation of the structure of plants and products in conformity with local advantages and market demands and in adaptation to climate change; closely monitor the situation of pests and diseases on plants and animals, to control in time epidemics; promote the exploitation of offshore marine products; resolve and strictly enforce regulations on fishing and traceability of fisheries; implement an operation plan to ensure the safety of dams and reservoirs in the rainy season; coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to closely monitor the weather, proactively plan for natural disaster prevention and warning of floods and landslides; and expeditiously review the losses, propose and apply measures to support the people in stabilizing their lives and restoring production in the Northern mountainous provinces and the Mekong River Delta.

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall guide the restructuring of industrial production in the direction of increasing the content of science and technology, value-added and localization of products; inspect and urge the production and business plans of groups and corporations, the planning of mineral reserves, as the basis for mobilizing resources for development; urgently review the national electricity development planning, including adjustment of renewable electricity projects in line with the actual situation; prepare a plan for building the Power Planning VIII; and assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the comprehensive evaluation of impacts of trade protection policies of countries in order to become more proactive in responding to those policies.

- The Ministry of Transport shall mobilize resources for the development of key infrastructure projects; speed up the construction and capital disbursement of key projects; report to the Government of the pre-feasibility study of some high-speed railways; and continue to address shortcomings and weaknesses of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll stations.

- The Ministry of Construction shall intensify the inspection and coordinate with the concerned ministries, sectors, and localities in strictly controlling urban development projects; monitor and promptly propose solutions to promote the healthy development of the real estate market; overcome obstacles in the implementation of policies on residential housing, especially social houses; study and put into use environment-friendly building materials and alternative materials in order to save mineral resources; and coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and coastal provinces in inspecting, reviewing and adjusting the planning of coastal tourist sites to ensure the people’s access to public beaches and public services.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall enhance the forecast and warning of natural disasters; quickly complete the scheme on experimental accumulation and concentration of land; efficiently implement the Government s Resolution No. 120/NQ-CP on responses to climate change in the Mekong River Delta; rectify and improve the efficiency of the State management over land, especially the planning, land recovery, compensation and support; and strengthen the management of land in agroforestry farms in the Central Highlands.

- The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and other localities shall review and handle pending dossiers of people with merit; organize practical activities of gratitude to celebrate the 71th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs; enhance the prevention and fight against accidents, child injuries and child abuse; and supervise and strictly handle violations in payment of wages to workers, ensuring the interests of laborers at enterprises.

- The Ministry of Education and Training shall supervise and inspect the observance of discipline and order in schools; moral and ideology education; education of students living skills; and coordinate with localities to drastically improve basic school sanitation conditions at the beginning of the new school year; and select subjects of training on business start-up for students.

- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall promote the dissemination of culture, ethics, and lifestyles of Vietnamese people; heritage management associated with tourism exploitation; refinement of travel activities; promoting tourism promotion associated with innovating products and services to attract tourists and striving to lure 15-17 million foreign arrivals in 2018.

- The Ministry of Health shall take the initiative in closely monitoring the situation of epidemics and direct the completion of 5 central hospitals to put them in operation. Carry out the network connection of drugstores according to regulations, strictly control the prescription of drugs, purchase, and sale of prescription drugs, and effectively manage the system of drug supply. Provincial-level People s Committees shall direct the network connection of drugstores; promote the communication and mobilization of the people, medical examination and treatment establishments, and drugstores.

- The Ministry of Science and Technology shall concentrate on guiding and speeding up the implementation of the Law on Technology Transfer and documents guiding the implementation thereof. Organize the implementation of new policies and mechanisms, which are promulgated to create favorable conditions to boost the efficiency of innovation activities. Develop scientific and technological information sources in service of scientific research and technological development. Finalize and submit to the Government a draft Resolution on improving the capacity to access the 4th Industrial Revolution to be issued in 2018. Focus on building a scientific and technological program on the 4th industrial revolution.

- The Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs shall review and evaluate the implementation results of the policy on ethnic minorities in the 2016-2020 period. On that basis, the Ministry shall propose to supplement and improve thepolicy in the direction of reducing overlaps, enhancing combination and integration, securing resources to achieve sustainable development targets for ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the 2021 - 2025 period.

- The Ministry of Home Affairs shall actively deploy Resolutions of the sixth plenum of the 12th Central Party Committee on reforming and reorganizing the apparatus of the political system in a streamlined, effective and efficient manner. Renovate the organizational and management systems, raise the quality and efficiency of public non- business units. Expeditiously submit to the Government an action program to implement the Resolution of the seventh plenum of the 12th Central Party Committee on reforming wage policy for civil servants, public employees, armed forces, and laborers at enterprises. Focus on building a contingent of cadres at all levels, especially strategic ones, with qualities, capabilities, and prestige on par with requirements of their position. Promote the inspection of civil services in ministries, sectors, and localities. Expeditiously submit to the Prime Minister for approval the staffing quotas in 2019. The number of public employees will reduce by 2% compared to that of 2015. The number of payrolls using state money will reduce by 2.5% compared to 2015. And submit to the Government a draft Decree amending and supplementing Decree No. 108/2014/ND-CP on policies on public employee downsizing.

Ministers, heads of agencies and Chairmen of provincial-level People s Committees shall be accountable to the Government and the Prime Minister for ensuring the implementation of administrative discipline and order; step up the inspection of civil services at their agencies, units and localities; improve the quality of cadres and civil servant evaluation; downsize the number of public employees according to regulations, especially reduce those who work ineffectively and/or fail to fulfil their tasks, or have weak capacity and moral qualities.

- The Government Inspectorate shall promptly complete the planned inspections and intensify irregular inspections when detecting violations; monitor and urge the effective implementation of inspection conclusions, and work out a plan to settle complicated and prolonged complaints and denunciations.

- The Ministry of Defense shall strengthen security and defense activities; take initiative in coping with, promptly handling cases, and effectively preventing conspiracies and sabotaging activities; and ensure security and safety for the people and economic activities on the sea and islands.

- The Ministry of Public Security shall direct police units and localities to intensify the task of grasping the situation, taking the initiative in advising the Party’s committees and authorities at all levels to promptly solve urgent matters among the people to prevent the formation of hot spots that can create insecurity and disorder in communities. Enhance fire prevention and fighting activities, especially those in apartment buildings and high buildings, and organize patrol and surveillance to ensure traffic order and safety.

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the concerned ministries and agencies in well organizing external activities of the Party and State leaders, foreign affairs events organized by Viet Nam, prepare well for the successful hosting of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN), and improve the efficiency of the work of foreign representative offices.

- The Ministry of Information and Communications shall continue to closely coordinate with the Central Information and Education Commission to actively promote communication activities with specific orientations, diversified forms, and profound contents; fight against false allegations; strictly handle cases of taking advantage of democracy to spread negative, poisonous or untrue information; and ensure information safety and network security.

- Ministries, sectors, and localities shall urgently draw up the socio-economic development plan and state budget estimates in 2019, in association with the mid-term review of the five-year Socio-economic Development Plan,Medium-term Public Investment Plan, Medium-term Financial Plan and Economic Restructuring Plan for the 2016- 2020 period.

- Provincial-level People s committees shall take initiative in performing their tasks and removing obstacles against production and business in order to promote socio-economic development in the locality; propose solutions to solve difficulties and obstacles in the implementation of mechanisms and policies. Heads of state administrative agencies at all levels shall spend adequate time to receive citizens, focus on settling complaints, denunciations, petitions, recommendations, feedbacks, and urgent matters right from the grassroots level, to prevent the arising of "hot spots" that may complicate the local security and order situation.

- Ministries and agencies shall, according to their respective functions, tasks, and powers, take initiative in handling or proposing to competent authorities to settle petitions of localities in July 2018. The Government Office shall urge and sum up the situation and settlement results and report them to the Prime Minister.

- The Government requests the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, the central body of mass organizations, to direct, communicate and mobilize members together with the people and the business community to unite and join forces to strengthen the solidarity bloc of the entire nation, to strive to successfully achieve the objectives of socio-economic development; work in a coordinated manner to create a high level of consensus, and at the same time, strengthen the supervision of the performance of the tasks of ministries, sectors and localities according to the regulations.

2. Regarding the performance of the Government and the Prime Minister.

As 2018 is the hinge year for implementing the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress and the National Assembly’s Resolution on the 5-year Plan, the Government sets out the motto of “Discipline, Integrity, Action, Creativity, Effectiveness” with an overall view to foster macroeconomic stability and create clear and substantive shifts in the implementation of strategic breakthroughs, restructuring of the economy associated with innovating models of growth, improving quality, labor productivity, and competitiveness of the economy. This will help the country to gradually shift from the use of preferential mechanisms and policies to focus on institutional, policy and legal improvement, removing difficulties and obstacles, improving the business investment environment, mobilizing all resources for development, encouraging people and businesses to invest, develop production and business. The Government also commits to encouraging innovations, start-ups, and business development, drastically pursuing administration reform and strengthening discipline, order, and rule of law.

The Government and the Prime Minister has always been united, dynamic and innovative in realizing set objectives, tasks, and solutions in all fields; having a clear action plan, specific and transparent task assignments, which are close to reality. Abide by the principles of democratic centralism, combining the collective responsibility of the Government members with personal responsibility of the Prime Minister and each member of the Government. Renovate leadership, management, direction, and operation approach with concrete actions. Enhance the role of the heads, promote decentralization, and strengthen accountability.

The performance of the Government and the Prime Minister has brought about specific achievements, contributing to strengthening trust among the people and the business community, which is highly appreciated by many international organizations and has created a motivation to fulfill the set socio-economic development targets in 2018.

The Government requests ministers, heads of the agencies and Chairmen of provincial-level People s Committees to continue advancing the obtained results, promptly drawing experiences, overcoming limitations, raising the sense of responsibility, innovating working methodologies in order to create positive changes in each sector, each field, andeach locality. Particular attention should be paid to the implementation organization so that mechanisms, policies, and laws can actually come into life and bring into full play their effectiveness.

3. Regarding e-Government development

In order to build an e-Government towards the digital economy and digital society in the context of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, the Government requests ministries, agencies, and localities to focus on building and perfecting fundamental institutions for e-Government development.

The Government Office is assigned to assume the prime responsibility for and coordinate with the concerned agencies in submitting to the Government for promulgation a Resolution on a number of key tasks and solutions for e-Government development in the 2018-2020 period, with orientations to 2025. In the immediate future, ministries, sectors, and localities shall send and receive e-documents through software systems interconnected with the Government Office and implement the single window, interconnected single window mechanism and build online public services according to the roadmap.

4. Regarding the inspection results on the performance of tasks by the Working Group of the Prime Minister

The Government acknowledges positive changes in the performance of tasks by ministries, agencies, and localities. The Government requests ministries, agencies, and localities to regularly review and implement more drastically the assigned tasks, not to leave any pending tasks.

The Working Group is assigned to continue inspecting and urging ministries, agencies, localities, groups, and corporations in performing the tasks assigned by the Government and the Prime Minister; speed up the implementation of tasks, focusing on the tasks that would help realize growth targets.

5. Regarding the reports on public administration reform, inspection and settlement of complaints and denunciations and anti-corruption, the implementation of Resolution No. 19-2018/NQ-CP on continued implementation of the major tasks and solutions to improve the business environment and sharpen the national competitiveness, and the implementation of Resolution No. 35/NQ-CP on business development support.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government Inspectorate, the Ministry of Planning and Investment Department are assigned to collect Cabinet members’ comments, finalize the reports, promulgate them according to their respective competence, and monitor and urge the implementation according to their assigned functions and tasks.

6. Regarding the draft Law on Architecture

The Ministry of Construction shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice and the Government Office in collecting Cabinet members’ comments, the appraisal feedbacks of the Ministry of Justice and the Government Office, then report to the Prime Minister before submitting to the National Assembly.

7. Regarding the draft Decree promulgating preferential policies for Vietnamese people with meritorious services to the revolution and people participating in the national resistance wars

The Government agrees to approve the proposed policies and content of the draft Decree proposed by the Ministry of Defense. The Ministry of Defense is assigned to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Office and concerned agencies in, collecting comments of the Cabinet members, finalizing the draft Decree, and submitting it to the Prime Minister for signing before July 27, 2018.

8. Regarding the proposal for the elaboration of a Decree promulgating the management of river sand and gravel

The Government agrees to approve the proposal to elaborate a Decree promulgating the management of river sand and gravel. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is assigned to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the concerned ministries and agencies in, collecting comments of the Cabinet members and finalizing the proposal.

9. Regarding the draft Decree on the date of establishment/traditional day of ministries, sectors, and localities

The Government agrees that the Decree shall only specify conditions, competence, and order for recognition of date of establishment/traditional day at central and provincial levels. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall assume the prime responsibility for collecting comments of the Cabinet members, finalizing the draft Decree, and submitting it to the Prime Minister for signing in July 2018...

On Behalf of the Government

The Prime Minister

Nguyen Xuan Phuc