President Trần Đại Quang met with constituents in HCM City yesterday to ease their concerns over a number of socio-economic issues raised at the freshly-concluded first session of the 14th National Assembly. —VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

HCM CITY — President Trần Đại Quang met with constituents in HCM City yesterday to ease their concerns over a number of socio-economic issues raised at the freshly-concluded first session of the 14th National Assembly. 
The President cited the Government’s report that public debt made up 62.2 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of 2015, putting big pressure on the country to pay off debt. 
The management and use of public debt in Việt Nam had yet proved efficient, he said, adding that it was necessary to curb the debt at a safe level to mitigate risks in the coming time. 
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), Việt Nam was excluded from the countries having high debt burdens, he noted. 
The President agreed with a majority of voters that the prevention of corruption and wastefulness has reaped significant achievements but it should be further promoted. 
In the context of regional and global complicated developments, the country proactively and resolutely safeguarded its independence, sea and island sovereignty, and territorial integrity as well as ensured peace and stability for national development, he stressed. 
After the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague issued its final ruling for the Philippines’ lawsuit against China on disputes in the East Sea on July 12, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Việt Nam had a prompt reaction, and Việt Nam’s standpoints on the East Sea received international support, he said. 
He noted that many countries and international organisations had called on the involved parties to attach importance to navigation and aviation safety and security in addition to abiding by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and reaching a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) as soon as possible. 
The President also shared voters’ concerns over the massive fish deaths in central provinces. He said the Politburo along with Party and State senior officials convened a number of meetings to promptly enact measures to support fishermen in the affected areas while clarifying reasons of the maritime environmental incident. 
The Government announced the conclusion of the incident, he said, adding that the Hưng Nghiệp Formosa Hà Tĩnh Steel Limited Company was responsible for the incident and pledged to compensate over VNĐ11.5 trillion (US$500 million), and address shortcomings in the waste treatment system and build synchronous measures to control the marine environment in the central region. 
He stressed the State would examine all environment-related projects nationwide. 
He affirmed that Việt Nam rolled out the red carpet for foreign investors for national socio-economic development, however, it is crucial to ensure national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity as well as benefits and security of the country. 
The President also clarified voters’ concerns over other matters such as food safety and hygiene, water resources security and protection of consumers’ rights. — VNS