State President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc presents President Hồ Chí Minh's portraits as gifts to officials and workers in the oil and gas sector with outstanding performance in a meeting held on Saturday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — State President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Saturday met 70 officials and workers in the oil and gas sector who stood out in the good and creative labour emulation movement in the 2017-22 period.

Despite numerous difficulties in the period, the State-owned Việt Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) has had over 2,800 initiatives and solutions applied in reality, which have produced a total estimated profit of over US$500 million.

The leader said the group, with its over 60,000 workers, has become an economic-technological spearhead that helps ensure sufficient supply of fuel to economic sectors and plays an important role in realising the sea strategy and safeguarding national sovereignty at sea.

Affirming that the participants at the meeting are a valuable resource and talents for the oil and gas industry and the country, the State leader asked the group and the sector’s trade union to pay more attention to creating conditions for officials and employees to contribute more to the industry, and effectively organising emulation movements.

He also required the sector to step up innovation so as to help Việt Nam ensure energy security and energy self-reliance in the face of new development requirements.

The group needs to strongly restructure itself and its affiliates, pour more capital into science technology and innovation, and take into account the current energy transition trend, the leader stressed.

The group should focus on developing its primary fields of production and business – oil and gas prospecting, exploration and exploitation, gas industry, oil and gas processing, power industry and renewable energy, high-quality oil and gas technical services – but at the same time, it must associate production and business activities with environmental protection and national security and defence, upholding of national security at sea. — VNS