Vietnam eyes GDP growth of 8.3-8.5 pct next year

Vietnam will set targets of gaining gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 8.3-8.5 percent and GDP per capita of 820 U.S. dollars in 2007, the National Assembly's Office announced Friday.

At the 10th session of the 11th National Assembly of Vietnam, slated for from Oct. 17 to Nov. 30, the highest legislative body will also discuss other major socioeconomic targets for next year such as gaining export revenues of 45.2 billion dollars, or export growth of 17.4 percent; reaching total social investment of 452 trillion Vietnamese dong (VND) (more than 28.4 billion dollars); and obtaining state budget collection of 274 trillion VND (over 17. 2 billion dollars), the office's chairman Bui Ngoc Thanh said at a press conference.

It will also eye to generate 1.6 million jobs, and providing clean water to 80 percent of urban dwellers and 67.2 percent of rural population, he added.

To this end, Vietnam would sharpen the competitiveness of businesses, actively integrate in the international economy, improve the quality of education and training, and deal with pressing social problems, he said.

During the approaching session, deputies are to discuss the implementation of the anti-corruption law, reports on petition and denouncement settlement, the budget allocation in 2007, and reports of the council for the ethnic minorities on the implementation of the policy on land use for production and accommodation, Thanh said.

The assembly also plans to pass 11 laws and one resolution, including those on tax management, vocational training, gender equality, organ and tissue donation and transplantation, and technology transference, and give opinions to six others, including those on personal income tax, quality of product and commodity, and legal assistance.

This year, Vietnam is likely to gain GDP growth of 8.1-8.2 percent, exceeding the target of eight percent, GDP per capital of 720 dollars, export growth of 18.7 percent, and consumer price index of 7.2-7.5 percent, Thanh said.

Source: Xinhua