Vietnam's National Assembly Opens 10^th Session

by Vu Kim Chung

30-11-2001

The 10^th session of Vietnam's 10^th National Assembly (NA) opened on November 20, 2001 at the Ba Dinh Hall, Hanoi. Before coming to attend the session, NA deputies held meetings with voters to receive their opinions and proposals so that the deputies could reflect voters' issues of concern to the NA. Deputies also held a meeting to discuss the contents of the agenda of the session. The NA also discussed the the ratification of the Vietnam-US Trade Agreement and ratified it. Once the BTA is ratified by both Vietnam and the United States and comes into effect, it would directly affect not only the relations between the two countries but also economic relations between Vietnam and other countries worldwide, and regional and international economic organisations to which Vietnam is a party.

Over the period leading up to the session, the NA's Standing Committee and the government asked relevant agencies to complete all preparations for the session so that agreed upon issues could be rubber-stamped. The NA held a preparatory meeting on November 19 to approve the session's agenda and debate other issues of concern.

NA hears government's reports on first day

The National Assembly heard reports of senior officials of the government at the opening day of the session on November 20. After hearing the opening speech delivered by NA Chairman Nguyen Van An, the NA heard a report of Prime Minister Phan Van Khai on boosting economic growth rate and increasing development quality, creating new socio-economic movement in the first five years of the new century.

Director of the NA's Committee for Economy and Budget Ly Tai Luan read an investigation report on evaluation of the implementation of the socio-economic tasks of 2001, orientations and tasks of 2002 and the five year socio-economic plan (2001-2005). NA deputies also heard a report delivered by Minister of Finance Nguyen Sinh Hung on the budget revenue and expenditure of 2001, 2002's estimated budget and the balance of payment of State budget in 2000. Also in the opening day of the session, deputy director of the NA's Committee for Economy and Budget read an investigation report on the implementation of the State budget of 2001, estimated budget for 2002 and balance of payment of budget in 2000. Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Dy Nien delivered a report on the foreign affairs of 2001. In the afternoon of the same day, NA deputies had group discussions.

There are not yet any proper regulations on socio-economic plan implementation

Vietnam's Planning and Investment Minister Tran Xuan Gia said that there are not yet any proper regulations to ensure an effective implementation of socio-economic policy.

"I can say that our yearly forecast may not be accurate but our planning is not wrong at all," Gia said while referring to the Government's report on the implementation of 2001 socio-economic tasks. The report was presented by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai at the opening session of the National Assembly on November 20. Asked to comment on a report from the National Assembly's Economic and Budgetary Committee, which stated that the failure to achieve the five important economic targets set by the National Assembly had chiefly resulted from a lack of concrete planning and coordination between localities and ministries. In effect, it was the reuslt of poor management practices. Gia said:

"This year, adverse external factors as well as natural disasters and seasonal flooding have barred our efforts for successful implementation of socio-economic policy."

"It is not quite fair to blame only the planning work or a lack of detailed plans, because a yearly plan is no more than a short-term plan," Gia told reporters in an interview on the sidelines of the on-going National Assembly meeting. According to Minister Gia, building a development plan for each product, sector, locality, and region, as well as for the whole country, is in essence a long-term forecast with several orientations.

"The largest 'gap' between the National Assembly's resolution and the Government's performance lies in export," Tran Xuan Gia said, adding, "If the prices of farm produce had been the same as last year, Viet Nam's export value would have surpassed the target of a 16-percent increase, since export volume was greater than last year."

"For instance, the price for one tonne of coffee was reduced from USD 4,200 in 1980 to USD 1,800 in 1998, USD 600 in 2000 and only USD 300 this year," Gia told the press. He further said that at present the Government controls only 22 percent of total social investment-about 38 percent-including investment credit funds, while the remaining 60 percent comes from individual producers who are in a position to decide in which sectors they will invest.

NA continues its working session

The National Assembly held a plenum under the chairmanship of vice NA Chairman Mai Thuc Lan on its second working day of the on-going session, November 21.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Huy Ngo read a report on the overcoming of the aftermath of the floods in the Mekong River delta and the Lingling storm in the centre. The report said that the total losses were estimated at VND 3,100 billion (over US $200 billion). Of the figure, damage caused to Mekong River delta was put at around VND 1,500 billion; the centre and the north each VND 800 billion and the Lingling storm alone caused losses up to VND 500 billion. Flood and storm-hit provinces have received relief aid from the government, individuals, and organisations at home and abroad to overcome the consequences of the natural calamities. Minister Ngo also reported to the NA about the plan to control the natural calamities in 2002 and the years to come.

The NA deputies heard a report of NA Chairman Nguyen Van An on the amendments of and supplement to some articles of the 1992 Constitution. The NA chairman, also head of the Draft Committee on amending and supplementing of the Constitution, said that the draft amendments and supplements to some articles of the 1992 Constitution contained major and principled changes. According to Mr An's report, the NA would be authorised to pass a vote of confidence on office holders elected and approved by itself. The authority of the NA to allocate State budget was subject to alteration. The authority of the NA Standing Committee to ratify the appointment, relief of responsibility and dismissal from office of deputy prime ministers, ministers and other cabinet members was proposed to be cancelled.

The draft committee also recommended cancelling the authority of the heads of government agencies to issue sub-laws. The function of the People's Procuracy was proposed to be adjusted to focus on prosecuting and supervising judicial activities.

Those proposed changes would be a necessary constitutional foundation to gradually perfect the organisation of the State apparatus.

Also on November 22, the NA heard a report on the State's foreign affairs delivered by Director of the NA's Committee for External Relations, Do Van Tai. Head of the NA's Council for Nationalities Cu Hoa Van read a report on the implementation of a programme on socio-economic development in the communes of special difficulties, mountainous, remote and far-flung commune or called Programme 135.

NA also heard a report on the activities of the People's Supreme Court in the fourth quarter of 2000 and the first nine months of 2001 delivered by head of the court, Trinh Hong Duong and activities of the People's Supreme Procuracy in 2001 by its head Ha Manh Tri. The management of the local people's courts on organisation and law enforcement work were also presented to the NA by Minister of Justice Nguyen Dinh Loc. Director of the NA's Law Committee Vu Duc Khien read an investigation report on the work of the head of the People's Supreme Procuracy, head of the People's Supreme Court and government's report on the management of the local people's courts on organisation and law enforcement.

On November 22, NA deputies had group discussions on the implementation of socio-economic tasks and State budget in 2001; orientations, tasks and estimated budget of 2002; balance of payment of budget in 2000 and the five-year socio-economic development plan.

NA discusses socio-economic tasks

The National Assembly held group discussions on November 22 on the implementation of socio-economic tasks and this year's State budget, as well as orientations, tasks and an estimate of the State budget for 2001. They also discussed the five-year socio-economic development plan between the end of 2001 and 2005. Most deputies agreed with the government's report, presented by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai at the opening session of the National Assembly, saying "Vietnam's gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year [2001] is estimated at about 7%, 0.5% lower than planned but still higher than last year and much higher than in other regional countries."

Many praised the government's endeavours to narrow the gap of development between different areas through the implementation of policies and programmes such as the on-going national hunger elimination and poverty reduction programme, the programme on socio-economic development in remote and isolated areas, and the afforestation programme.

"In particular, many major infrastructure projects were completed or are still under construction this year, including the Ho Chi Minh National Highway, roads and bridges, and electricity supply systems," they said.

Many deputies highlighted big changes in Vietnam's economic structure, saying "Many localities have shifted from rice cultivation to fruit tree farming or aqua-culture. There has also been an expansion of product processing industries for export."

"However," they said, "Vietnam still imports a great deal of raw material and additives to feed industries, including cotton, fibre, milk, leather and salt."

Some deputies analysed the main reasons for the failure to fully achieve five important goals: GDP growth, agriculture-forestry-fisheries production, services, export value, as well as a goods and consumer service price index. They also pointed to the need to build a transparent national financial system on all social and economic levels, regarding this as the most important measure for developing a socialist-oriented market economy.

NA starts Vietnam-US trade pact debate

The National Assembly (NA) started discussing the ratification of the Vietnam-US Trade Agreement on November 23, the fourth working day of the session. NA deputies heard a submission to the NA by President Tran Duc Luong and report on the ratification of the Vietnam-US Trade Agreement by Minister of Trade Vu Khoan. Director of the NA's Committee for External Relations Do Van Tai delivered a report expressing the committee's opinions on the issue. Later, NA deputies had group discussions on the issue.

NA deputies discussed the implementation of the socio-economic task and the 2001 State's budget on November 24 as well as orientations, task and the estimated budget for 2002, the balance of payment of the 2000 budget and the five year socio-economic development plan.

NA deputies debate socio-economic tasks

National Assembly deputies discussed the implementation of socio-economic tasks and the State budget in 2001, the orientation and estimates for the State budget in 2002, and a socio-economic development plan for the 2001-2005 period on November 24. The deputies focused on assessing the implementation of socio-economic tasks and the State budget for 2001 at Ba Dinh Conference Hall in Hanoi. They pointed out what had yet to be completed, advantages and disadvantages, and current results in order to work out future measures.

They also concentrated on economic restructuring, particularly in agriculture, operation of new co-operatives, and restructure of State-owned enterprises. Developing tourism potential and increasing investment in education, health care, science and technology were also discussed at the plenum.

The deputies gave suggestions and solutions to fight floods and storms in the Mekong Delta and the central region.

They also dealt with administrative reform, corruption and wasteful spending, job creation, poverty, the reduction of social problems, and settlement of citizens' claims and petitions. The deputies continued their discussions on November 26.

NA deputies discuss urgent socio-economic issues

National Assembly deputies discussed urgent national socio-economic issues on the fifth working day of the NA session in Hanoi on November 26. They said that investment for agriculture and forestry promotion programmes should be increased and suggested that the government exempt or reduce cultivation land taxes and write off farmers' irrigation debts. In addition, efforts should be made to seek more outlets for farm produce. NA deputies touched upon issues relating to economic restructuring and the implementation of two national programmes: boosting socio-economic development in difficult highlands and remote areas and planting five million hectares of forest.

Salary reform and investment in education and training, health care, and science and technology were also discussed by NA deputies. They also pointed to the need to carry out more effective measures to accelerate administrative reform in 2002, curb corruption and wasteful spending, and intensify the fight against smuggling and trade fraud.

Many deputies also said that the import of motorbikes and farm produce should soon be reduced.

National Assembly approves Viet Nam-U.S. trade agreement

Viet Nam's National Assembly on November 28, passed a resolution ratifying the Viet Nam-U.S. bilateral trade agreement (BTA). The resolution won 278 votes in favour, representing 64.3 percent of total NA deputies, with 85 votes against (19.6 percent), and 17 abstentions (3.9 percent).

"Viet Nam establishes its trade relations with the United States on the principles of respect for independence, sovereignty, non-intervention into each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefits without enclosed conditions," stated the resolution.

It also stated:

"The agreement meets the aspiration of two peoples, ushering in a new stage of bilateral relations. The approval of the agreement again affirms Viet Nam's foreign policy of openness, multilateralisation, diversification, active integration, and its willingness for equal and mutually-beneficial cooperation with all nations for peace and development."

The resolution also pointed to what actions should be taken by the National Assembly, the Government, legislative agencies, entrepreneurs and the Vietnamese people in a bid to quickly adapt to the agreement, implement it in the most effective way, and be actively involved in the world economic market.

The NA deputies, in the morning of November 28, under the chairmanship of NA Deputy Chairman Mai Thuc Lan, continued to discuss the implementation of socio-economic tasks and the State budget in 2001; the orientations, tasks and estimated budget for 2002; the general balance of the State budget in 2000 and the five-year 2001-2005 socio-economic development plan.

NA passes resolution on 2002 budget

The National Assembly on November 29 adopted a resolution on State budget estimations for 2002 and a resolution on ratification of the total spending of the State budget in 2000 during its ninth working day of the on-going tenth session. The resolution on the estimated budget for 2002 was passed with 83.1% of votes in favour and the resolution on the overhead spending of 2000 budget was ratified with 80.5% of votes in favour.

Earlier, NA deputies heard a report delivered by Minister of Finance Nguyen Sinh Hung to explain several issues relating to the estimated budget for 2002 and the balance of payment of the 2000 budget. Member of the session's Secretariat Bui Ngoc Thanh read the full text of the two above-mentioned draft resolutions. Six deputies from five provinces and cities contributed their opinions to the issue.

In the morning of the same day, NA deputies had group discussions on the draft resolution on the amendment of and supplement to several articles of the 1992 Constitution.

On November 30, NA deputies continued discussing in groups the draft resolution on the revision of the 1992 Constitution and working reports of the head of the Supreme People's Court, head of the Supreme People's Procuracy, government's reports on the management of the local people's courts on the organisation and law enforcement and the implementation of the Law on Complaints and Denunciation.