COVID-19 highlights need for economic restructuring

TIN LIÊN QUAN
	Vietnam acts quick to secure economic growth amid COVID-19 epidemic
	Vietnam sends back Chinese tourists on three flights

“The epidemic is an opportunity for Vietnam to look at its strong points and weak points, and to accelerate the restructuring process,” Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said. “It is time for Vietnam to build an economy more independent and resilient to adapt to changes,” Dung stressed.

Fruits are processed for export at a company in Tien Giang province. (Photo: baotiengiang.net)

The epidemic has been taking its toll on the Vietnamese economy. The ministry pointed out that a number of sectors would be affected such as travel, transportation, agricultural, forestry and fishery production, industrial production, trade and investment.

The ministry also forecast lower economic growth rates in 2020 than the Government’s targets.

According to the ministry’s latest report, if the epidemic was brought under control in the first quarter, GDP growth rate for 2020 would reach 6.25 percent, 0.55 percentage points lower than the Government’s target. The Vietnamese economy would grow just 5.96 percent this year if the epidemic continued until the second quarter.

Vu Tien Loc, Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the epidemic was seriously affecting production and business operations, urging firms to take action to minimise the economic damage caused by COVID-19, not just wait for Government support.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment predicted that if the epidemic prolonged to the end of the first quarter, revenue from international tourists would decrease by 2.3 billion USD in 2020 and 5 billion USD if the epidemic lasted to the end of June.

Agricultural production has also suffered heavily. China is the largest market for Vietnam’s agricultural produce, accounting for 22-24 percent of the country’s agro-forestry-fisheries exports.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong was quoted by the Vietnam News Agency as saying that challenges must be turned into opportunities. Cuong stressed that the ministry would focus on pushing agricultural restructuring and developing markets for agricultural products.

Farmers must cooperate with firms to build value chains for sustainable development, he stressed.

Researchers from the Training and Research Institute st the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam recently pointed out that developing and implementing a strategy to diversify markets and trade partners was needed for Vietnam to reduce dependence on single markets.

Economic restructuring must also be strengthened, researchers said, adding that the focus should be on quality, creativeness, inclusiveness and sustainable development.

It was also necessary to enhance the economy’s resilience to external shocks by enhancing competitiveness, improving production capacity and developing domestic markets.

To cope with the COVID-19 epidemic, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked ministries to reorganise production and take advantage of trade deals to diversify and expand international markets.

Developing the domestic market and improving domestic purchasing power were also important, he said.

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