Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc delivers the closing statement at the government-to-locality teleconference on Tuesday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Economic development must go together with environmental protection and social development to ensure sustainable growth and prosperity, said Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.

Concluding the government-to-locality teleconference on the final day of 2019, the Government leader emphasised future development orientations that would not sacrifice the environment in the pursuit of economic growth, a message that was highly appreciated as the public becomes more restless over worsening air pollution, water contamination, overflowing landfills and climate change.

PM Phúc also stated that aside from the environment, it was also essential for the central Government and local governments to focus on cultural and social civilisation, saying that upholding these three aspects while maintaining growth was the true direction of a socialist-oriented market economy.

He added that Việt Nam must strive to make the best environment to create a community of patriotic businesspeople, who were law-abiding, respectful of their origins and would weave their will with the country’s ambitions to become a powerful, prosperous and independent nation.

At the meeting, the Government leader recognised impressive socio-economic achievements recorded in 2019, but pointed out existing problems such as slow disbursement of public investment capital and the stagnant equitisation of State-owned enterprises, as well as drug use among youths.

Improvements to legal policies and the removal of difficulties for businesses as well as measures to change the country's growth model in a practical and effective manner based on promoting the application of science-technology, innovation, and improving human resources were necessary, the Government leader stressed.

Along with harmonising the development of the economy, culture, society and the environment, we must reinforce defence-security and accelerate international integration, the PM added.

Regarding the Mekong Delta' request for infrastructure development in the region, PM Phúc said the Ministry of Transport would consider local government proposals and focus on developing a functioning, well-planned infrastructure system for the region.

Co-ordination needed

In the new year, the PM asked ministries and localities to ensure a warm Tết holiday for all people, especially poor households, social policy beneficiaries and residents in remote and isolated areas.

Also during the teleconference, Minister of Public Security Gen. Tô Lâm urged the Government, National Assembly, ministries and localities to focus on implementing the national security strategy in 2020 and strengthen co-ordination to ensure national interests and security in all fields.

Lâm noted that in 2019, the number of criminal cases dropped 7.39 per cent year-on-year, an impressive figure compared to the ministry’s target of 3-5 per cent.

Police handled 97,000 cases, notably drug trafficking, corruption, trade fraud and environmental violations, the minister added.

Regarding defence work, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Văn Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Việt Nam People's Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence, said in 2019, the army promoted its core role of building an all-people defence and actively participated in the settlement of natural disasters, environmental incidents, search and rescue, poverty reduction, and new-style rural building.

The Ministry of National Defence also took part in exercises with other countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to ensure navigation security, he said, adding that the ministry was building militia forces in coastal areas to defend the nation’s sovereignty over its seas and islands.

Law building

The same day, PM Phúc chaired the year’s final regular cabinet meeting in Hà Nội, focusing discussions on the institution and law building work.

The cabinet members listened to brief reports on a draft law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the law on settlement of administrative violations, as well as proposals on building a draft revised law on insurance business, a draft revised law on preventing and combating drug, and a draft revised law on inspection.

They also proposed building a resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee on promulgating principles, criteria and norms for the allocation of public investment capital in the 2021-25 period.

Concluding the meeting, PM Phúc essentially agreed with the principles suggested by the Ministry of Finance, noting that insurance is a sensitive market. 

Regarding the draft revised law on drug prevention and combat, the PM agreed with proposals of the Ministry of Public Security and requested it to complete dossiers and send to the Ministry of Justice for supplementation to the law building programme in 2020.

Pertaining to the draft revised law on inspection, PM Phúc agreed with the Government Inspectorate’s recommendations and emphasised on the reform of inspection activities towards improved efficiency.

The Government leader also agreed to assign the Ministry of Planning and Investment to collect the opinions of the cabinet members at the meeting to complete a report for submission to the National Assembly Standing Committee, allowing the building of a resolution on principles, criteria and norms for the allocation of public investment capital in 2021-25 in line with the amended law on public investment. — VNS