Roundtable discussion for “The outline of mid-term review and assessment of socio-economic development in 2011-2013”

The discussion was chaired by Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Politburo Member, Deputy Prime Minister, and involved the participation of more than 30 scholars and leading economic experts as well as the administrators from the Office of the Party Central Committee, the Office of Government, the Office of President, the National Assembly Economic Committee, Committee for Sciences, Technology and Environment, the Central Economic Commission, the Central Theoretical Council, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Vietnam Association of Economics, and research institutions and universities in Hanoi.

Delivering the introductory speech at the discussion, Prof.Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, President of VASS, emphasized that besides the socio-economic achievements of the country, still there were many challenges and difficulties as well as the rapid changes of the region and the world while the term (2011-2015) of the Eleventh Party Congress went halfway through. The mid-term review and assessment of the socio-economic situation, therefore, was a special mission to take a look back on the achievements of the past two years and specify tasks for the following period of the congressional term, which would serve as the momentum for the long-term development.

The tasks to be specified were drafted in the outline for mid-term review and assessment of the 2011-2015 period as follows: Evaluation of the development perspectives, policies and strategy proposed in the mission of socio-economic development in 2011-2015 by the Eleventh Party Congress; evaluation of the performance, particularly the socio-economic tasks in 2011-2015 according to the Resolution of the Eleventh Party Congress; studying and indentifying the causes of the situation, especially the socio-economic problems emerging lately; identifying key issues and tasks to be settled for the second half of the Eleventh Party Congress tenure in order to successfully implement the goals of socio-economic development in 2011-2015; to propose strategic solutions to fulfill the tasks set by the Eleventh Party Congress for the second half of the tenure, for the period 2015-2020 and towards 2030.

The President of VASS hoped the participants would contribute candid and objective opinions as well as giving scientific explanations of the situation and the issues raised and causes. He also wished the objectives and tasks would be clearly defined for the 2013-2015 period, and credible prediction of the domestic and international situation in the following 10 years would be made in order to suggest solutions for the short run, medium run and long run.

With nearly 30 opinions from scholars, economists and managers, the discussion was energetic in the spirit of straightforwardness, honesty, and high responsibility to the country’s socio-economic problems. The new thinking and solutions to the country’s development for the 2013-2015 as well as for the long run were also presented enthusiastically.

A number of experts laid emphasis on the existing shortcomings, which were considered partly as the consequences of the development for the long time. There was an urgent need of innovative development thinking and institutions for Vietnam to overcome economic difficulties and challenges at this extremely important point of time. Thus, the socio-economic review required the long-term vision and even beyond the scope of a congressional tenure.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highly appreciated the outcomes of the discussion and acknowledged the candid and objective opinions of scholars, economists and administrators on the heated issues of the country. He also entrusted VASS to selectively collect the ideas and opinions of participants for the construction of the policy brief, as well as to take part in forming the Party and the Government’s mid-term review and evaluation of the country’s 2011-2015 socio-economic development.

n behalf of VASS, Prof.Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang showed the gratitude for the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and acknowledged his direction at the discussion. He also expressed thanks for the active participation of the delegates and sincerely recognized the greatly responsible opinions of scholars, economists and managers. The comments and opinions from the discussions in Hanoi and Hochiminh City and the following one in Danang would be gathered to build a quality report of recommendations, as assured by the President of VASS. The results of the discussion would serve not only as a practical contribution to improving the outline of the mid-term review of 2011-2013 socio-economic development, but also important inputs for the review of the country’s 30-year reform. 

Vu Hung Cuong (Ph.D)