Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chairs a meeting between permanent Cabinet members and representatives of ministries and agencies to discuss growth targets. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Saturday called for greater efforts to keep the 2024 growth rate at the upper limit of the 6-6.5 per cent target, and inflation at the lower of the 4-4.5 per cent target, given the context that there are more challenges than opportunities.

Chairing a meeting between permanent Cabinet members and representatives of ministries and agencies, the leader stressed the need to ensure macro-economic stability and major economic balances, and control budget overspending as well as public, Government and foreign debts.

Flexible direction, innovation, “thinking big, acting bold” and policy harmony will work in the present context, he continued, asking ministries and agencies to follow these instructions.

The ministries and agencies were also urged to renew the traditional growth drivers of investment, export and consumption, while promoting new engines like regional connectivity, digital economy, green economy, circular economy, and innovation, along with emerging industries such as semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The PM spoke of other tasks like accelerating public investment disbursement, and the implementation of national target programmes, and the VNĐ120 trillion (US$4.72 billion) housing credit package, and speeding up key infrastructure projects.

A steering committee should be established soon to review and handle bottlenecks, he said, requesting the review and perfection of institutions, especially regulations relating to public investment, public-private partnership and tax, based on which a legal document should be issued to amend many laws.

Chính asked the circuit-3 500kV transmission line linking Quảng Trạch in the central province of Quảng Bình and Phố Nối in the northern province of Hưng Yên to be completed before June 30, and called for efforts to soon have the European Commission (EC)'s “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood removed.

More attention should be paid to social welfare, national defence and security, external affairs and the communications work, he said.

In order to control inflation, Chính urged efforts to stabilise prices and ensure enough supply of goods.

The adjustments of electricity and petroleum prices must be put into careful consideration with appropriate roadmaps to avoid shock.

Problems related to stagnant 2nd Bạch Mai and Việt Đức hopitals in Hà Nam Province must be tackled thoroughly. — VNS