Complete the set goals and tasks at the highest level in the context of difficulties piling up on difficulties

Directive speech atNational online conference of the GovernmentWith localities, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong acknowledged, commended and thanked Party committees at all levels, authorities, organizations, business communities, cadres, party members, compatriots and soldiers nationwide for their efforts and important results, great achievements in 2021, contributing significantly to helping our country overcome the extremely severe and unprecedented difficulties and challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to glorify our Fatherland, adding to the history and heroic traditions of our nation.

Achieved many important and quite comprehensive results

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized that 2021 is the first year our country has carried out research, study, grasp and organize the implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress in the context of rapid, complicated and unpredictable developments in the domestic and international situation, especially being heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with new variants. The world economy has recovered but unevenly and unsustainably; inflation is rising rapidly; financial and monetary markets are fluctuating strongly, posing many potential risks.

Domestically, in addition to advantages, our country also has to cope with huge difficulties and challenges due to the fourth wave of COVID-19 with the Delta variant that spreads faster and is more dangerous, seriously affecting people's health and lives and all aspects of our country's socio-economic life.

“In the context of difficulties piling up on difficulties, the Government, local authorities and the entire political system in general, together with the entire Party, people and army, have strived to fulfill at the highest level the set goals and tasks, achieving many important and quite comprehensive results in all fields,” General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized.

The specific and outstanding results are that, firstly, our country has responded to, contained and controlled the epidemic, gradually moving to the state of "Safe, flexible adaptation, effective control of the COVID-19 epidemic". The fourth outbreak in densely populated areas has led to local overload of the health system at a time when vaccines are scarce and there is no specific treatment. Under the close and correct leadership of the Party, the drastic and specific management and operation of the State, the entire political system and people and soldiers nationwide have taken synchronous and drastic actions in preventing and fighting the epidemic; minimizing damage and containing the epidemic; actively implementing social security policies, supporting people and businesses in difficulty.

Up to this point, it can be affirmed that we have successfully implemented the "later to come first" vaccine strategy with the largest vaccination campaign ever. If in early May 2021, our country only had a few hundred thousand doses of vaccine, then up to now there have been about 200 million doses of vaccine with a 1-dose vaccine coverage rate of 99.6%; the 2-dose vaccine coverage rate for people aged 18 and over is 90.9% (one of the 6 countries with the highest vaccine coverage in the world); actively vaccinating the 3rd dose and vaccinating children aged 12-17 with a 1-dose coverage rate of 85.6%, 2-dose vaccination is 57% and will vaccinate children aged 5-11 in early 2022.

During the most difficult and challenging times of the pandemic, the spirit of great solidarity of our entire nation was promoted even more strongly. Tens of thousands of officers and soldiers of the forces on the front line against the pandemic (medical, military, police, community COVID teams, etc.) have stuck close to the area, devoted themselves, not afraid of hardships and dangers, working day and night with the spirit of "all for the health and lives of the people".

Party committees, authorities and functional forces at the grassroots level have "gone to every alley, knocked on every door, checked every person" to directly inspect, encourage and direct the work of epidemic prevention and control, ensuring social security and people's lives. The Vietnam Fatherland Front, mass mobilization agencies at all levels, socio-political organizations, people's organizations, mass associations, intellectuals, artists, journalists, people, businesses... at home and abroad have had many initiatives and specific and practical actions to participate in epidemic prevention and control work. Those efforts and results have contributed to further consolidating and strengthening people's trust in the Party, the State and our socialist regime.

Second, our country has made efforts to maintain, recover and promote economic development with many positive highlights. Our country's economy continues to be assessed as a stable developing economy, attractive to foreign investors. Although economic growth in the third quarter was negative 6% due to the fourth outbreak, in the fourth quarter it reached an increase of 5.22%, higher than the same period in 2020 (4.61%) and the whole year is estimated to increase by 2.58%. State budget revenue still increased by 16.4%, higher than the increase of 11.3% in 2020. Total import and export turnover of goods in 2021 reached a record level of 668.5 billion USD, an increase of 22.6% compared to 2020 (making Vietnam one of the 20 countries with the world's leading economies in trade); The trade balance maintained a trade surplus for the sixth consecutive year, reaching about 4 billion USD.

The monetary, credit and exchange rate markets are stable; the average interest rate has decreased; foreign exchange reserves have continued to be consolidated, increasing by over 10%. Total social development investment capital is equivalent to 34.4% of GDP, up 1.2% compared to 2020. Agriculture continues to play a key role in supporting the economy, ensuring national food security; agricultural exports reached 48.6 billion USD.

Third, in the midst of difficulties, our country continues to pay attention to developing cultural and social fields. In particular, the National Cultural Conference was held very successfully, proposing many tasks and solutions to build an advanced Vietnamese culture with strong national identity, which was widely welcomed, agreed upon and supported by public opinion throughout the country.

Mechanisms and policies to support people and businesses affected by the epidemic have been implemented synchronously and effectively, contributing positively to ensuring social security and people's lives. The implementation of preferential policies for people with meritorious services and the work of caring for and protecting people's health continue to receive attention. There have been many efforts in organizing direct and online teaching and learning flexibly, suitable to the epidemic situation to successfully complete the tasks of the school year.

Fourth, national defense and security continue to be consolidated, strengthened, and improved in effectiveness; national sovereignty, a peaceful and stable environment continue to be maintained, creating favorable conditions for national development. Social order and security are ensured. Complex situations at sea and on the border are flexibly, effectively, and appropriately handled. Measures to ensure political security, social order and safety are strengthened; focus on suppressing all types of crimes; ensure security and safety for important political events of the country. Timely combat and refute wrong and distorted views and ideologies of hostile forces and reactionary organizations.

Foreign affairs and international integration activities continue to be expanded, implemented synchronously, comprehensively, flexibly, effectively and achieved many important results, notably vaccine diplomacy. Citizen protection, foreign information, economic and cultural diplomacy continue to be focused on and promoted. Our country's international position and prestige are increasingly enhanced, contributing positively, effectively and responsibly to maintaining peace, cooperation, development and progress in the world.

Fifth, the work of Party and political system building continued to be promoted, achieving many outstanding and impressive results, with very positive changes and marked improvements in quality.

However, in addition to the achievements, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also pointed out that we need to frankly acknowledge that there are still some shortcomings, limitations, and inadequacies. Specifically, due to the severe consequences caused by the fourth outbreak, economic growth for the whole year only reached 2.58%, lower than the set target (6%). The financial - monetary market, labor market, and macroeconomic stability still have potential risks. The socio-economic situation of the whole country is facing many difficulties and great challenges. Production and business activities in a number of fields, especially tourism and services, are facing many difficulties; many businesses have had to stop operations, even dissolve or go bankrupt. Some production, supply, and labor chains have been broken. The progress of disbursement of public investment capital is still slow. Epidemic prevention and control work is sometimes passive and confused...

Good disease control is associated with economic and social recovery and development.

Regarding the direction and tasks for 2022, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong mentioned 5 major groups of issues.

Accordingly, firstly, it is necessary to continue to closely monitor and grasp the developments of the epidemic situation in the world and in the country, especially the risks from new variants, in order to promptly have appropriate response policies and measures. Focus on prioritizing the implementation of the issued Comprehensive Program on COVID-19 Prevention and Control to quickly and safely adapt, flexibly, and effectively control the epidemic, considering this an important and urgent task of all levels and sectors from the beginning of 2022.

Continue to promote the vaccination campaign, quickly cover basically 2 doses for people who are allowed to be vaccinated. Ensure enough vaccines, drugs, biological products, medical equipment for epidemic prevention and control; improve the capacity of the health system, especially grassroots health care and preventive medicine; strictly implement epidemic prevention and control measures. Strengthen propaganda work, raise awareness, promote self-awareness, positivity and proactiveness of people in epidemic prevention and control. Absolutely do not be subjective, negligent, or lose vigilance.

Second, focus on effectively implementing the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Program, in conjunction with consistently implementing the inflation control target, ensuring macroeconomic stability and major balances of the economy. Continue to improve the investment and business environment, promote faster, more sustainable and substantial growth; create stronger changes in implementing strategic breakthroughs, restructuring the economy associated with growth model innovation, improving productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy. Promote national digital transformation, develop digital economy, digital society, green economy, circular economy and adapt to climate change.

Third, pay more attention to the task of developing culture in harmony with and on par with economic and social development; constantly improve the material and spiritual life of the people. Effectively implement policies to support people, workers and businesses facing difficulties. Take care of the lives of people with revolutionary contributions and people in difficult circumstances; build new rural areas, create jobs, and sustainably reduce poverty; prioritize the allocation of resources to implement programs, projects and policies for ethnic minorities and mountainous areas. Continue to do a good job in disease prevention and control, improve the quality of medical examination and treatment; strictly manage medicines, medical supplies and equipment; ensure food hygiene and safety.

Improve the effectiveness of cultural institutions, especially in industrial zones and new urban areas; preserve and promote good cultural and heritage values. Build a healthy cultural lifestyle, prevent moral and lifestyle degradation and pay more attention to preventing domestic violence, child abuse and social evils. Strengthen resource management, environmental protection, natural disaster prevention and response to climate change.

Fourth, continue to consolidate and strengthen national defense and security potential; maintain political stability, social order and safety; improve the effectiveness of foreign affairs and international integration. Proactively prevent and fight to defeat all sabotage plots of hostile and reactionary forces, absolutely not to be passive or surprised in any situation. Synchronously implement solutions to ensure political security, social order and safety, actively fight against all types of crimes and social evils; implement solutions to ensure network security, traffic safety, fire and explosion prevention and control.

Organize high-level foreign affairs activities well; proactively and actively deepen and substantiate relations with partners; promote multilateral foreign affairs. Effectively implement signed trade agreements, making the most of the benefits that these agreements can bring.

Fifth, continue to promote and improve the work of building and rectifying the Party and the political system, especially the system of legislative, executive and judicial agencies from the central to local levels. Build a truly clean, honest, strong Government and local authorities that operate effectively and efficiently. Tighten discipline and administrative rules, regularly inspect and urge, create strong changes in the performance of public duties; improve the ethics, culture and professionalism of cadres, civil servants and public employees.

According to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, in the past two years of 2020-2021 and the coming years of 2022-2023, together with the whole world, the whole Party, the whole people, the whole army have had, are having and will continue to have to face the "Invisible Enemy - COVID-19" as the name of the book by many authors recently published by the Sports and Tourism Publishing House with the spirit of fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy. "Invisible Enemy - COVID-19" is extremely dangerous, it not only takes away human lives but can also destroy many achievements that humanity and our people have worked hard to build.

Emphasizing that in order to defeat this extremely dangerous and cruel "invisible enemy", preserve and promote the achievements and results that have been achieved, overcome all difficulties and challenges to successfully implement the goals and tasks set out by the 13th National Party Congress, first of all the goals and tasks set out in 2022, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized: "We have been innovating and creating for a long time, so we must innovate and create even more. Our State in general, the Government and local authorities in particular have been honest, disciplined, and operated effectively and efficiently for a long time, so we must be even more honest, disciplined, and operate effectively and efficiently; our entire Party, people and army have been united, unanimous, joined forces, and strived to achieve great achievements in the past, so we must be even more united, unanimous, joined forces, and strive to strive even higher. Only then can we have can complete the goals and tasks set for 2022, creating a premise for the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and the aspiration to develop a prosperous, strong and powerful Vietnam.

Fully grasp, thoroughly grasp and seriously and effectively implement the General Secretary's instructions.

In his response speech, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized: The speech of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong encouraged, motivated, shared, inspired, and energized the Government, local authorities, and our entire political system. At the same time, it contained deep feelings and concerns, expressing the expectations and hopes of the Party, State, and people for the Government and local authorities at all levels. It is a source of great encouragement, motivation, and encouragement, and important, close, comprehensive, and consistent directions, suggestions, and guidance of our Party.

The Government, each member of the Government, ministries, branches and localities will fully grasp, thoroughly grasp and seriously and effectively implement the General Secretary's instructions through practical and specific programs, plans, tasks and actions. His instructions will continue to spread the spirit of great national unity, determination, efforts, inspiration and multiply the endogenous strength so that the whole country can strive to achieve even higher results in 2022 and the coming years.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated: 2021 can be said to be a year of many difficulties and challenges, but the results achieved are very valuable. These results were achieved thanks to the solidarity and unity under the close and timely leadership and direction of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the strong supervision and support of the National Assembly, the efforts of the Government and local authorities, along with the participation and joint efforts of the entire political system, all levels, sectors, the business community and the entire population to overcome difficulties and challenges.

However, as the General Secretary has advised, we absolutely must not be subjective or complacent, but must immediately and effectively overcome the shortcomings, limitations, and weaknesses; inherit and promote the achievements of the Government over many terms and years, continue to innovate and be creative; act resolutely and effectively; be determined to build a clean, strong, comprehensive, united, united, unanimous, and striving Government and local authorities to overcome all difficulties and challenges, and successfully carry out the assigned goals and tasks, especially in preventing corruption, negativity, group interests, and local interests in the Government and local authorities.

“Strive for 2022 to be the year of victory over the pandemic; economic recovery and development; social order and discipline; national sovereignty maintained; political stability; and people's peaceful and happy lives, in the spirit of solidarity, integrity, proactive adaptation, safety, efficiency, and sustainable socio-economic recovery,” the Prime Minister emphasized.