Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam hasrecorded considerable achievements in 2018, but Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuchas reminded ministries, sectors and localities to “never rest on theirlaurels”.

He made the remark at a national teleconferencebetween the Government and 63 provinces and cities nationwide in Hanoi onDecember 28.

The event also saw the presence of Party GeneralSecretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong and Chairwoman of the NationalAssembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

The Government leader noted that this year’seconomic growth rate posts a decade high of 7.08 percent with the processingand manufacturing sector expanding by over 12 percent. Meanwhile, credit grewby less than 14 percent, compared to the 17 – 18 percent in the previous years,and the mining industry contracted nearly 4 percent.

These figures show that the growth model isswitching, and the country has recorded improvement in value chains, he said.

Meanwhile, the Party Central Committee’sresolution on the private economic sector is being implemented well with thesector recording strongest ever development in the past two years.Additionally, more than 130,000 new enterprises were set up and over 34,000firms resumed operations in 2018, PM Phuc highlighted.

Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh attributed thoseattainments to the Government’s actions under the motto “Discipline, Integrity,Action, Creativity, Effectiveness”. 

The Cabinet has taken actions with theconsistent targets of stabilising the macro-economy, controlling inflation,creating clear and substantive changes in the implementation of strategicbreakthroughs, simultaneously restructuring the economy and reforming thegrowth model, and improving labour quality and productivity and the economy’scompetitiveness.

It has also worked to reform mechanisms andpolicies to remove obstacles, streamline administrative procedures, and betterthe business climate, he said.

However, Minh also pointed out certainshortcomings of the Government, noting that the proposal of mechanisms andpolicies remains inactive, the settlement of policy loopholes has yet to meetexpectations, while ministries and agencies still lack coordination inresolving inter-sectoral problems.

Aside from objective factors, the shortcomingsare attributable to the fact that leaders of some agencies haven’t been drasticenough in their work, and some officials lack sense of responsibility towardstheir duties.

PM Phuc said following this meeting, theGovernment will swiftly finalise and issue several resolutions so that thewhole administrative system, enterprises and people can soon get down tobusiness to accomplish the targets set for 2019. –VNA