The Government has directed ministries, agencies, businesses, localities and people to keep up with efforts to fulfil both goals of containing COVID-19 outbreak and socio-economic development, according to Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung.

At the press conference (Photo: VNA) 

Speaking at a regular press conference in Hanoi on March 3 following the Cabinet meeting, the minister said the PM had instructed the immediate implementation of measures to step up production restructuring and remove difficulties for business and production, intensify administrative procedure reform, accelerate public investment disbursement and facilitate credit access.  

According to him, aviation, tourism and transport sectors fell into difficulties when many important markets and partner countries such as the Republic of Korea, Japan and European countries were hard hit by the epidemic. Businesses in manufacturing and processing sector also faced the shortage of materials.

At the same time, the minister highlighted bright spots in the socio-economic situation in the first two months of the year.

Despite slower growth in several sectors, the monetary and credit market was basically stable. The consumer price index in February 2020 went down 0.17 percent month-on-month.

Exports picked up 2.4 percent year-on-year to 36.9 billion USD. The index of industrial production rose by 8.4 percent month-on-month and 23.7 percent year-on-year. The two-month index moved up an estimated 6.2 percent.

Over 17,400 new firms were established with a registered capital of nearly 364 trillion VND (15.8 billion USD), up 9.1 percent in volume and 47.1 percent in value.

Around 12,000 enterprises resumed operations, up 17.1 percent.

The minister also said the Government lauded the national steering committee, local administrations, business community and people in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic.