Dung raises the bar on growth targets

The economy must overcome a number of obstacles to reach Dung’s targets

The scenario, which Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung addressed at the 10th Session of the 11th National Assembly in the 2007 Socio-economic Development Plan Report, indicates that next year Vietnam will attempt to attain 8.2 to 8.5 per cent GDP growth so that GDP per capita reaches $820. According to Dung’s report, planned indicators in 2007 were more ambitious than this year’s expectations of 8.2 per cent in economic growth and $720 in GDP per capita respectively.
Dung emphasised that greatest efforts must now be made to turn the targets into a reality in the face of unexpected increases of all commodities prices on the global market, growing rivalry among economies around the world and challenges to the Vietnamese economy’s competitiveness after becoming a WTO member.
“Nevertheless, Vietnam’s stable political situation and steady economic growth this year are foundations for the country to mobilise both domestic and foreign capital channels for development,” Dung said.
To ensure that the targets will be within reach, the National Assembly heard that four groups of tasks had to be implemented next year. They are to strengthen mobilisation of all capital sources for socio-economic development, to lift the rural economy and improve farmers’ living conditions, to accelerate development of education, training, science and technology, to continue administration reform and to fight against corruption and increase thrift.
The 10th Session of the 11th National Assembly, which opened in Hanoi on Tuesday last week, will debate and vote on 11 draft laws that received National Assembly deputies’ suggestions at the previous session as well as a Resolution on the Law and Ordinance Drafting Programme in 2007, the National Assembly’s Supervision Programme in 2007 and a Resolution on 2007 Socio-economic Development Plan.
Reports on voters’ petitions and their settlement and the results of Cabinet questioning at the previous session will be tabled for discussion during this session as well.



No. 784/October 23-29, 2006