HÀ NỘI — The 13th National Assembly (NA) fulfilled its major objectives during its tenure, NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân said at the 11^th meeting -- the last session of the 13th legislature. 

In her closing speech this morning, Ngân said the 13th legislature had fulfilled its task of promulgating the 2013 Constitution and fully realising the Constitution through laws on the organisation of the State apparatus; the protection of justice, human rights and citizens’ rights; the perfection of a socialist-oriented market economy mechanism and the strengthening of defence and security, along with the assurance of social welfare, environmental protection and international integration. 

A key task of the last session was to review the NA’s performance throughout its tenure, she said, noting that lawmakers had devoted time to examining reports reviewing the five-year performance of the assembly, the president, the government and the prime minister, as well as the chief justice of the Supreme People’s Court, the procurator general of the Supreme People’s Procuracy and the State Auditor General. 

She said in the context of the changing domestic and international situations, under the leadership of her party and with the trust, support and supervision of the people, the State apparatus had inherited and promoted the achievements of the previous tenures, while continuing the reformation of its organisation and operations, thus fulfilling its duties in line with the regulations of the Constitution and laws. 

The NA chairwoman said at this session that the legislature had removed and elected high-ranking leaders in a democratic manner and in accordance with the party’s orientations and regulations under Vietnamese law, thus meeting in a timely manner the requirements of the party’s leadership and the State’s guidance. 

For the first time, the NA chair, the president, the prime minister, and the chief justice had taken oaths in front of the national flag, committing absolute loyalty to the fatherland, the Vietnamese people and the Constitution and vowing to do their utmost to fulfil their assigned tasks. 

The NA believed and supported the newly elected leaders and wanted them to continue improving themselves in order to accomplish their tasks, she said. 

To continue managing the duties of the 13th tenure and to prepare for the operations of the 14th tenure, the NA requested the NA Standing Committee, the NA’s Council for Ethnic Affairs, the NA committees and the National Election Council, as well as all branches and administrations at all levels of the government, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuracy and the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee, in addition to other relevant agencies and organisations, to focus on implementing the newly adopted laws and resolutions and prepare for the election of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and members of People’s Councils at all levels during the 2016-2021 tenure, she said. 

With 462 approval votes, which was 93.52 per cent of the total deputies, the NA also passed a resolution on the five-year socio-economic development plan for 2016-2020.

The resolution sets the overall targets of ensuring macroeconomic stability, striving for higher economic growth than the five previous years, accelerating the execution of strategic breakthroughs and restructuring the economy in parallel with renewing its growth model, along with increasing productivity, efficiency and competitiveness. 

Promoting culture, democracy, social progress and equality as well as guaranteeing and increasing social welfare and local living standards are also among the goals of the plan. 

The other main objectives include proactively adapting to climate change; effectively managing natural resources and environmental protection; strengthening national defence and security; persistently and resolutely safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity; and ensuring political security, social order and safety.

The plan also aims to improve the efficiency of external affairs and international integration while sustaining peace and stability and creating a favourable environment for national construction and defence, thus elevating the position of Viet Nam in the international arena and developing the country into a modern industrialised society. 

The major specific goals, as outlined in the plan, include an average gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.5-7 per cent per year, with GDP per capita of some US$3,200-3,500 by 2020. 

The proportion of industry and services is projected to make up 85 per cent of the GDP, while the total social investment capital is expected to reach some 32-34 per cent of the GDP. The budgetary overspending will be brought to under 4 per cent of the GDP by 2020. 

The total factor productivity (TFP) is hoped to contribute around 30-35 per cent to GDP growth. The average social labour productivity is due to increase by 5 per cent per annum, while the ratio of urbanisation will reach 38-40 per cent by 2020. 

The ratio of agricultural workers in the labour force will stand at around 40 per cent, while that of trained workers is 65-70 per cent. The unemployment rate in urban areas is set to be reduced to under 4 per cent, and the household poverty rate will reduce by 1-1.5 per cent each year. As much as 95 per cent of the population in urban areas and 90 per cent in rural areas will gain access to clean water, 85 per cent of toxic waste will be treated, and forest cover will reach 42 per cent, according to the plan. 

The plan also sets a target of having more than 80 per cent of its population covered by health insurance, with 9-10 doctors and 26.5 hospital beds serving every 10,000 people. 

With 465 votes, or 94.13 per cent of the total deputies, the NA adopted the resolution on reviewing the performance of the NA, the president, the government and the prime minister. The performance of the chief justice of the Supreme People’s Court, the prosecutor general of the Supreme People’s Procuracy and the auditor general of the State Audit Office during the 2011-2016 tenure will also be reviewed.

The resolution made clear that the NA had approved the assessment made by the aforementioned organs and officials with regard to their performance as well as their shortcomings, limitations and the lessons they had learned. 

In the time ahead, the NA should further improve the quality and efficiency of its activities to promote democracy, creativity and transparency, thus ensuring the NA fulfils its role as the highest representative agency of the people and the supreme State power body of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, the resolution stressed.

In the same vein, the president should uphold his role as the head of State who represents the nation in internal and external relations and as a commander of the people’s armed forces and the chairman of the Council on National Defence and Security, thereby contributing to strengthening national unity and firmly safeguarding independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as enhancing the efficiency of external relations. 

The government and the prime minister also needed to focus on leadership, management and guidance and on building a pure, strong, united and responsible government of action that finds effective measures to realise the annual and five-year socio-economic targets, the resolution said.

The NA required the government to continue restructuring and enhancing the management of the State budget and public assets, taking appropriate measures to increase budget collection, reduce overspending and curb public and bad debts, while paying due attention to improving the material and spiritual living conditions of the people, ensuring social welfare, and speeding up poverty reduction. 

Meanwhile, the People’s Supreme Court and Procuracy were required to wield their responsibility and power in accordance with the Constitution and laws, improve the quality of judicial activities and ensure human and citizens’ rights. 

The State Audit was also expected to improve its auditing quality and boost coordination with the relevant agencies in handling violations. 

Last session a success

The 11th session of the 13th NA was a success, fulfilling all set tasks regarding making laws, reviewing the legislature’s performance during the 13th tenure, and deciding on socioeconomic issues and State personnel work, said NA Vice Secretary General Lê Minh Thông at a press conference on the outcomes of the session later that day.
Lawmakers considered and passed seven bills, including the Law on Access to Information; the revised Law on Signing, Joining and Implementing International Treaties; the amended Law on Press; the Law on Children; the amended Pharmacy Law; the revised Law on Export-Import Tariffs; and the Law on amendments and supplements to some articles of the Law on Value Added Tax, the Law on Special Consumption Tax and the Law on Tax Management.
The legislature also adopted a resolution ratifying the diplomatic note on the visa agreement between Viet Nam and the US, said Thông, who is also Vice Chairman of the NA’s Committee for Legal Affairs.
At the session, legislators looked into Government reports on supplementary assessments of the implementation of socioeconomic development plans from last year, this year and the period from 2016-20.
They approved a resolution on adjustments to the land use plan by 2020 and the national-level 2016-20 land use plan in order to meet land demands for socio-economic development, national defence and security.
The Government was requested to make annual reports on the implementation of the land use plans to the NA. — VNS