Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc has approved a plan to implement the Comprehensive and ProgressiveAgreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

He required ministries, ministerial-level andgovernmental agencies, and People’s Committees of centrally-run cities andprovinces increase the dissemination of information about the CPTPP andparticipating countries among the public, particularly groups likely to beaffected by the deal such as  farmers,fishing communities, cooperatives, and businesses, especially small- andmedium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The PM asked for focus to be placed on trainingofficials from State management agencies in fields related to commitments underthe CPTPP – such as investment, services, customs, government procurement,trade protection, intellectual property, agriculture, forestry and fishery,labour, and the environment – so that they clearly and precisely understand thespecific content in order to implement the deal fully and effectively.

He made the order that information on CPTPP and otherFTAs that Vietnam has joined be made available for domestic firms; along withforecasts about import-export markets, technical requirements, and regulationson goods trade management of participating countries.

Other key tasks of the plan are buildingprogrammes to support and increase the competitiveness of sectors, businesses (particularlySMEs), and farmers in line with international commitments; preparing solutionsto back those bearing direct and major impacts from international marketfluctuations, as well as assisting Vietnamese firms to join regional and globalsupply, value, and production chains.

Relevant agencies must increase vocationaltraining and science-technology application in business production, build andrefine technical measures such as national standards, technical norms and ruleson food safety, product origin and environmental protection in line withinternational commitments, to support the development of businesses andlocally-made products and protect domestic consumers.

They should increase the use of early warningsystems in trade protection to help export firms avoid risks in the field, aswell as proactively build appropriate trade defence measures in accordance withinternational regulations and commitments to protect domestic production andthe legitimate interests of Vietnamese enterprises.

It is necessary to focus on restructuring theindustrial sector and speeding up the reshuffle of agriculture and the ruraleconomy, while also boosting the application of modern and environmentally-friendlytechnologies to increase productivity in businesses, the PM noted.

He instructed the building of mechanisms toencourage foreign-invested businesses to connect with domestic firms toestablish and develop joint supply chains, as well as improve the quality ofhuman resources, especially in the fields of technology, law, and finance.

The CPTPP officially came into force in Vietnamon January 14. Its 11 member countries account for 13.4 percent of the globalGDP. –VNA