Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chaired a meeting with Hà Nội’s leaders on Monday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Monday told Hà Nội’s leaders to give priority to protecting the capital from the further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chính ordered the city administration to take stronger and more decisive action in the fight against the pandemic.

“We have to fight the epidemic like fighting an enemy and switch from defence to attack when the situation becomes as complex as it is now,” he said.

Chính told the city leaders that they must implement Directive 15 and 16 very seriously. He noted that in other localities the observation of social distancing measures was often strict in the early days but was neglected shortly thereafter. This had caused the pandemic to spread.

“We are determined to protect the people's safety during the pandemic… The people’s health always comes first,” he went on.

He did, however, say that they would allow the operation of production facilities and business activities in places that are not affected by the pandemic.

Chairman of the capital city’s People's Committee Chu Ngọc Anh told Chính that Hà Nội had recorded 681 cases of COVID-19 in 24 districts in the fourth wave of the pandemic.

He noted there were six clusters with a large number of new cases that had cropped up since July 5. He said he was confident in his administration's response but that the city was not quite out of the woods yet.

“The pandemic is still under control in the city,” he said. “However, the city is at a high risk of the outbreaks and the possibility of many more community cases.”

As a result, he said, the city had taken urgent measures to prevent and control the pandemic, including issue orders to follow Directive 16/CT-TTg social distancing measures from July 19.

Upcoming tasks

Anh went on to discuss Hà Nội’s economic situation noting positive growth year-to-date.

In particular, the city's economic growth rate had reached 5.91 per cent in the first six months of this year, nearly 3 per cent higher than the same period last year.

He pointed out that the city had still maintained much of its production capabilities amid the pandemic.

Based on the current situation and by analysing the advantages and disadvantages the city faces, the city has built two economic-development scenarios this year with growth rates of 7.5 per cent and 6.5- 7 per cent, he said.

At the meeting, the city administration also submitted to the Government that they should support the city to implement key infrastructure projects. This included investing in the construction of Belt Road No 4 and Belt Road No 5 and urban railway lines. They also requested support preserving and promoting the values of Thăng Long Imperial Citadel and Cổ Loa Citadel.

Chính ordered ministries to coordinate with the city administration to review and perfect institutions and remove obstacles to facilitate the city’s socio-economic development.

For the Cát Linh - Hà Đông urban railway project, Chính assigned Deputy Prime Minister Lê Văn Thành to direct ministries, sectors and the city administration to urgently address its shortcomings in order to complete the project as soon as possible.

Chính also asked the city to keep up its spirit of self-reliance and to be proactive, creative and flexible in pandemic prevention and control as well as socio-economic development in the future.

The city was required to promote administrative reform and improve provincial competitiveness. It was also told to improve on indicators serving people and businesses, and pay more attention to digital transformation and the development of the digital economy and digital society, he said. — VNS