Notably, this is the first time the NA has conducted an online meeting over several days. With careful and scientific preparation, the contents were carried out smoothly, ensuring progress and quality and achieving positive results, showing efforts and responsibilities for the benefit of the people and the country. These are the initial results to create a premise for further research and innovation with this method of meeting in the future.
The ninth session took place in the context of regional and global situations continuing to witness many complicated developments. In particular, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected all socio-economic activities around the world. The epidemic has interrupted production and business activities, trade, investment, social activities, education - training, tourism and culture and has affected the lives of the people, especially their health. Most industrial, manufacturing and service sectors have decreased, in which some industries and sectors have stalled or completely frozen. Along with that, Vietnam is also heavily affected by climate change, with extreme and abnormal natural disasters causing great losses in many areas of the country, such as drought, saline intrusion, thunderstorms, hail, etc.
In the above context, under the leadership of the Party and the National Assembly, the Government has promptly issued many resolutions, conclusions, directives from central to local levels with a focus epidemic prevention and control. It has also deployed many solutions to support economic development, and ensure social security. Up to now, Vietnam has basically controlled the epidemic, prevented its spread in the community, and ensured safety for the lives and health of the people. Vietnam's coping solutions have been highly appreciated by other countries and international organisations as a bright spot in the prevention and control of COVID-19. Having achieved this initial success, the NA and deputies acknowledged and praised the spirit of fearlessness and sacrifice of medical staff, people’s military soldiers and police and functional forces, showing the power of great unity of the entire people, patriotism, the primacy of the regime and the solidarity and mutual caring of the people.
In order to continue to overcome the challenges and difficulties that are being posed, it is required that the whole country be determined in devising drastic and breakthrough solutions to maintain and promote the obtained achievements, constantly improve people's livesand strive for national development. With that spirit, this session of the NA continued to display innovation, frankness, and responsibilities for the benefit of the people and the nation.
The NA spent a lot of time listening to the opinions of voters and the people and receiving the opinions of the NA deputies; and reviewing and discussing additional reports on socio-economic development and the State budget. The deputies studied, thoroughly analysed, and made assessments in a meticulous, comprehensive and objective manner to identify effective directions and solutions to soon revive the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Assembly considered and decided on the national target programme on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the 2021-2030 period, proposing solutions to promote the potential of the region and the spirit of self-reliance of the people, in order to develop mountainous areas in a more comprehensive and sustainable manner.
At this meeting, the NA reviewed and approved 10 billsand many draft resolutions, and commented on six other bills to promptly institutionalise the Party’s guidelines and the provisions of the Constitution and contribute to improving the effectiveness of the formulation and promulgation of legal documents. Thus creating a legal basis for improving the investment and business environment in the direction of increasingly favourability, transparency and equality among investors andbusinesses, mobilising resources in society, further improving the health and competition of the economy in general and of Vietnamese enterprises in particular. The NA has also conducted thematic monitoring of the implementation of policies and laws on child abuse prevention and control; and established the National Election Council as well as reviewed and approved some other important contents.
One of the important highlights of the ninth meeting was the ratification of three international treaties, including the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), and Convention 105 on Abolition of Forced Labour which was endorsed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva in 1957. These are important contents in the process of international economic integration, which is a premise to create great opportunities for Vietnam's exports, helping to diversify markets and export goodstowards building a transparent legal and investment environment, thereby attracting more investors from the EU and other countries while at the same time affirming Vietnam's determination in the process of implementing labour-related commitments in trade agreements, and fulfilling Vietnam’s obligations as an ILO member state. The ratification of these international treaties is in line with the Party and State's guidelines in the process of international economic, labour and social integration.
The NA and the Government has agreed on the goals set forth in the coming time including taking advantage of early disease control, and the nation's enhanced prestige and position in the international arena. Vietnam needs to quickly shorten and overcome the development gap with the region and the world, and strive towards the goal of becoming an industrialised and modern country. In particular, it is necessary to continue to innovate development thinking, improve capacity and take advantage of opportunities, redirect and reorganise economic activities, find new development models, make good use of market opportunities as well as investment and production trends in the regional and the world,strongly promote the role of enterprises of all economic sectors, actively participate in the economic links, production chains and value chains that new generation free trade agreements will bring about.
With a high sense of responsibility, the 9th session of the 14th NA successfully concluded with many good impressions and concrete results. This is an important foundation for Vietnam to enter a new stage of development, strongly promote the will and power of the great national unity bloc and people’s confidence in the leadership of the Party and the State, determined to overcome all difficulties and challenges to bring the country forward.
