Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to take measures to solve production and export difficulties in the remaining months of this year, local media reported.
The cabinet official made the request at an online conference held by the MoIT in Hanoi July 8 to review its activities in the first half of this year and work out tasks for the second half.
The MoIT was also requested to ensure an adequate supply of essential commodities and assist businesses, particularly those working in the oil and gas, garment and power sectors, to iron out snags and achieve a steady growth in the rest months of the year.
If the Dung Quat oil refinery is not put into operation in February 2009 as scheduled, it will fail to secure a 30 per cent balance in national oil reserves, said Mr Hai.
He also asked the power sector to resume power production and shorten the test-run period of the Ca Mau 1& 2 and Nhon Trach 1 power plants to ensure an adequate supply of power for daily production and domestic use.
&ldquoFor any reasons, EVN is blamed for the current power outage that badly affects production in particular and the whole economy in general,&rdquo Hai noted.
&ldquoThe national economy will incur more difficulties in the second half of this year if these issues are not addressed properly,&rdquo the deputy PM said.
He reaffirmed the Government&rsquos determination to curb inflation, considering it a top priority task, and stressed the need to cut down on sources of capital allocated for inefficient projects to invest in highly efficient key projects.
Speaking at the conference, representatives from PetroVietnam said that it has stopped and delayed 112 projects totaling VND6 trillion (US$365.85 million), accounting for nearly 20 per cent of total capital registered with the government this year in a bid to curb inflation.
Meanwhile, EVN said it decided to cancel 500 projects worth VND1.8 trillion (US$112.5 million), making up 4.18 per cent of its total investment this year.
During the meeting, Deputy PM Hai also urged the MoIT to work closely with its affiliates to seek out solutions to boost exports and reduce imports with the aim of balancing the trade deficit. He said the ministry must enhance its management capacity to stabilize the domestic market and ensure a good balance between the supply and demand of essential commodities.
The industry and trade sector aims to increase exports by 25 per cent in the second half of this year to reduce the trade deficit, said the MoIT minister Vu Huy Hoang, adding that it strives to keep the trade deficit of less than US$20 billion, and to ensure an adequate supply of essential commodities. (VOV, News, Capital Security)
Vietnamese
