Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and key country leaders had a meeting on Thursday on major issues. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng has chaired a meeting of key national leaders to discuss the domestic and international situation in the first two months of the year and sketch out major tasks going forward.

State President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ and Permanent member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Võ Văn Thưởng participated.

In the first two months, the Lunar New Year Festival was celebrated safely and enthusiastically, while COVID-19 was put under reasonable control with effective vaccination and the circulation of domestically-made COVID treatment drugs, resulting in a reduction of 24.5 per cent in the number of hospitalised cases and 47.1 per cent of deaths in February compared to the previous month, the meeting said.

Positive progress was seen in the socio-economic situation, with a stable monetary market, high State budget collection, recovered industrial production and export activities.

A clear direction has been given to implement the socio-economic recovery and development programme and speed up stagnant projects.

The national leaders have also made timely policies related to the armed conflict in Ukraine, especially in citizen protection, with a special task force set up. The first flights repatriating Vietnamese people from Ukraine have been conducted. 

Party General Secretary Trọng recognised the efforts of the key national leaders in giving comprehensive directions in areas such as economic development, COVID response, defence, security, Party building and anti-corruption.

Participants said the country was likely to face many challenges and difficulties, especially those posed by the pandemic, unpredictable changes in the global economic and political situation, including the armed conflict in Ukraine, as well as inflationary pressures, which may slow the country's socio-economic recovery and development.

The Party leader underlined that it was necessary to closely monitor the situation and make accurate forecasts to work out acceptable and effective policies.

He stressed the need to effectively apply COVID prevention and control measures, including the injection of vaccine booster doses and safe vaccination for children 5-12 years old.

It is also crucial to effectively implement solutions in the socio-economic recovery and development programme while focusing on removing bottlenecks in institutions and policy.

Flexibly managing and coordinating monetary, fiscal and macro-economic policies to rein in inflation and ensure major balances of the economy, and speeding up the disbursement of public investment capital were also cited as major tasks.

Ensuring progress of major national projects, including the Long Thành International Airport and the North-South Expressway, was also highlighted.

The leaders agreed that administrations at all levels and sectors closely follow and make a timely analysis of developments in the regional and international situation and their impact on the world economy, financial and monetary markets and supply chains, especially prices of strategic fuels and materials.

They stressed the need to ensure petrol supply with flexible management of prices to control inflation and maintain macro-economic stability. At the same time, the reopening of tourism and resumption of entertainment, cultural, art and sports activities should be conducted to ensure safety, while social security and welfare policies should be implemented.

The Party chief assigned the Party Delegation to the Government to work with ministries and agencies to give proposals on issues related to the Ukraine situation, especially in protecting the safety of Vietnamese citizens and businesses.

He also underscored that Party building and anti-corruption must be intensified through more inspection activities and the early trial of large corruption cases. — VNS