Hanoi (VNA) – Addressing theGovernment’s meeting on October 2, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requestedministries, sectors and localities to push ahead with stronger reforms topromote production and business activities amid several challenges to andproblems of the economy.

Reviewing socio-economic attainments over thepast nine months, the PM cited a survey’s findings as showing that up to 87.5percent of the interviewed businesses, especially domestic ones, haveconfidence in the Vietnamese market.

This result reflects the substantivesocio-economic growth and the effective governance by the Government, hecommented.

Analysing challenges to the economy, he pointed outthe impact of the trade wars among big economies, climate change, natural disasters,epidemics, and especially the complex and unpredictable developments in theEast Sea.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese economy itself hasalso encountered certain problems, PM Phuc said, elaborating that industrialproduction grew at a slower pace than in 2018; agriculture faced numerousdifficulties, particularly climate change impact; the growth of the foreigntourist number slowed down; and the disbursement of public investment capitalremained weak.

The Government demands that authorities at alllevels and all sectors not underestimate the situation but thoroughly addressexisting weaknesses and shortcomings, he stressed, adding that ministers andheads of sectors hold heavy responsibility in this work.

The leader also told them make stronger reformsto promote production, business activities and job creation. Additionally, theyalso need to have all-round assessment of trade wars’ impact on Vietnam andprepare appropriate responses to further capitalise on the signed free tradeagreements.

It is also necessary to better prevent andcontrol diseases on humans and livestock, improve the fisheries industry topersuade the EU to remove its yellow-card warning, and work harder to attractmore foreign visitors to Vietnam, he noted.

Calling for stronger and more substantiveimprovement of the investment and business climate, PM Phuc asked the Ministryof Home Affairs to assess the investment and business environment of each locality.

Besides, the Ministry of Finance has to step upthe equitisation of State-owned enterprises and the divestment of State capitalfrom firms, while the State Bank must accelerate the restructuring of ailingcredit organisations, the settlement of non-performing loans, and theenhancement of commercial banks’ financial capacity, he added./.