Vietnam saw positive developments in many socio-economic aspects in the first quarter of 2019, with a GDP growth of 6.79 percent and stable macro-economy, said Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung.
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamsaw positive developments in many socio-economic aspects in the first quarterof 2019, with a GDP growth of 6.79 percent and stable macro-economy, saidMinister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung.
Briefing the media on theoutcomes of the Government’s regular March meeting on April 2, Dung said that theconsumer price index (CPI) in March dropped 0.21 percent, resulting in anaverage CPI rise of 2.63 in the first quarter of 2019.
At the same time, total retailand service revenue in the period increased 12 percent, while trade surplus inMarch hit 1.56 billion USD.
The number of newly-establishedfirms was 28,451, up 6.2 percent,and the number of companies resuming their operation was over 15,000.
However, at the meeting, PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc pointed out that the Vietnamese economy is stillfacing many challenges. African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease,unfavourable weather, and unstable farm produce prices are threatening the agriculturesector, he noted.
The PM said that the disbursementof development investment in the state-owned sector has been low, while statebudget disbursement has reached only 14.7 percent of the yearly target. Meanwhile,the centrally-managed capital’s disbursement fell 30.5 percent year-on-year.The growth of the industry and service sectors has slowed down, while creditgrowth has been low.
Dung said that during theGovernment’s meeting, the PM asked ministries and sectors to focus on creatingbreakthrough steps to ensure that this year’s growth is higher than that of2018.
The Government leader askedministries to explain causes behind the slow capital disbursement and offer upsolutions.
Although the ProvincialCompetitiveness Index (PCI) Report 2018 showed progress in some aspects of the businessenvironments compared to 2017, the PM still stressed the need to continueimproving integrity and transparency. Ministries, sectors, and localitiesshould enhance the quality of supporting services for businesses, giving themmore favourable conditions in administrative procedures, especially thoserelated to land use, tax, and customs, said the PM. –VNA
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has required the Government to renew management work and address the shortcomings that have been revealed by the National Assembly and the people.
The programmes have brought about positive changes to rural infrastructure, comprehensively improved the material and spiritual lives of farmers, and contributed to Vietnam's economic restructuring, said PM Pham Minh Chinh.
The festival highlighted the contributions and robust development of Vietnam's revolutionary press over the past century while promoting press products and showcasing the creativity of Vietnamese journalists.
The programme on sustainable poverty reduction has achieved its annual targets for reducing the poverty rate as assigned by the National Assembly and the Government. It has fulfilled five specific objectives and five five-year goals, and met nine out of 12 indicators related to addressing basic social service shortages.
UNICEF stands ready to support the Government in implementing this important law and in continuing to invest in teachers as the cornerstone of a resilient, inclusive, and high-quality education system for all children.
PM Pham Minh Chinh highlighted how Vietnam's revolutionary press has continuously evolved and strengthened over the past century, affirming its role as a sharp and vital political, cultural, and ideological weapon serving the Fatherland and the people in the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party.
Vietnamese Consul General in Fukuoka Vu Chi Mai highlighted the growing demand for Vietnamese workers in Kyushu, especially in Fukuoka, Oita, and Saga prefectures. Currently, the region employs about 35,000 Vietnamese manual workers and over 5,000 IT engineers.
In Vietnam’s case, she said, President Ho Chi Minh demonstrated his strategic vision by founding the revolutionary press a century ago. The late leader understood the press's role not only as a means to reflect the country’s realities but also as a powerful tool to strengthen national unity and inspire the resistance wars and national construction process.
In recent interviews granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s reporters in Mexico, prominent figures reflected on the press’s legacy and its global influence.
VietnamPlus e-newspaper of the VNA clinched an A prize in the “Outstanding Press Product” category for its immersive 3D multimedia project, “Epic of Reunification,” a groundbreaking blend of storytelling and technology. The VNA won another A prize for its eye-catching exhibition booth.
Today, the press for foreign service has evolved into a distinct, irreplaceable force, bridging Vietnam with the world and portraying a nation that is stable, peace-loving, and fully integrated into the international community.
At a review conference held on June 21, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh praised the province’s scientific, coordinated, and flexible approach. He noted that the early completion reflects the strong commitment of local authorities, the business community, philanthropists, and residents in improving housing conditions for disadvantaged groups.
The VNA delegation, led by General Director Vu Viet Trang, actively participated in the event, engaging in both professional and diplomatic activities.
In the context where AI dominates and produces vast volumes of content, the only sustainable path forward for journalism is to focus on high-quality content and core values. Journalism must redefine its mission - not to report the fastest, but to provide the most profound and trustworthy value.
Granma and the VNA have great potential for cooperation, especially in sharing content regularly, so that VNA products are published on Granma platforms and vice versa, thereby helping Cuban and Vietnamese people access true information and gain a deep understanding of each other's country and people.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the Vietnam News Agency Digital Media Centre (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
Overview of the meeting (Photo: VNA) 
