HCM CITY — President Trần Đại Quang cleared up citizens’ concerns over the controversial draft Law on Special Administrative-Economic Units and the cybersecurity law in yesterday’s meeting with voters in HCM City’s Districts 1, 3 and 4.

Regarding the draft Law on Special Administrative-Economic Units, President Quang said that this is a major policy of the Party in many tenures with the target of building breakthrough institutions with outstanding incentives that are competitive enough to attract investment, on par with the region and the world.

This will in turn help to create motivation for the growth of special units as well as economic zones and the entire country, boosting economic development and ensuring sovereign independence, defence and security.

It is an important bill which institutionalises the Party’s policy and realises the 2013 Constitution’s regulations on special administrative – economic units formed by the National Assembly, the State leader said.

However, this is a complicated law, he said, adding that many of its regulations on mechanisms and policies have breakthroughs not only in the apparatus organisation but also in development orientations in the context of international integration and the developing regional and international situation.

The President agreed with voters’ opinions, saying that the draft law should be considered carefully before it is submitted to the National Assembly for approval.

For the Law on Cybersecurity, he stressed that the promulgation of the law is to meet demands for cybersecurity in ensuring national security, maintaining social order and safety, and fighting and preventing plots of hostile and reactionary forces who make use of the cyberspace to infringe upon national security, sabotage the national unity, incite demonstrations and disturb order on cyberspace.

The law also aims to stop, respond to and address consequences of cyber-attacks, terrorism and wars, as well as protect important information on national security and eliminate those who conduct cyber espionage, and post secret information on cyberspace.

The State leader affirmed that the law, once becoming effective on January 1, 2019, will help create a legal foundation to meet the need for cybersecurity in protecting national security and ensuring social order and safety.

Mentioning cases of social disturbance, property destruction and resistance to on-duty officers in several localities some days ago as extreme protesters took to the streets to oppose the two said bills, President Quang expressed his agreement with voters’ opinions on punishments imposed by relevant agencies.

He stressed the necessity to intensify disseminations to help the public understand more about the Party and State’s policies related to the draft Law on Special Administrative-Economic Units so that they are not incited by evil-doers and opportunists, and do not conduct extremist acts or legal violations.

Regarding the fight against corruption, President Quang affirmed the Party and State’s consistent policy of combating corruption crimes while also considering the responsibility of Party Committees and heads of agencies where corruption occurs and those involved in corruption.

Economic cases must be considered carefully and handled in line with the Party’s regulations and the State’s laws, he added. — VNS