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Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to the Party Central Committee’s Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW of November 5, 2016, on “Effective international economic integration and maintenance of socio-political stability in the context when Vietnam accedes to new-generation free trade agreements”;

At the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs,

RESOLVES:

Article 1. To promulgate together with this Resolution the Government’s Action Program to implement the Party Central Committee’s Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW of November 5, 2016, on “Effective international economic integration and maintenance of socio-political stability in the context when Vietnam accedes to new-generation free trade agreements”.

Article 2. This Resolution takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall implement this Resolution.

On behalf of the Government

Prime Minister

NGUYEN XUAN PHUC

To implement Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW of November 5, 2016, of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, on “Effective international economic integration and maintenance of socio-political stability in the context when Vietnam accedes to new-generation free trade agreements”

(Promulgated together with the Government’s Resolution No. 38/NQ-CP of April 25, 2017)

I. PURPOSES AND REQUIREMENTS

On November 5, 2016, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam of the XII^th tenure, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong signed Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW on “Effective international economic integration and maintenance of socio-political stability in the context when Vietnam accedes to new-generation free trade agreements” (below referred to as Resolution 06).

This Resolution is of importance significance, concretizes the foreign policy adopted at the XII^th National Party Congress and the guideline of regarding “international integration as a major orientation for building and safeguarding the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam.”

The Government promulgates this Action Program with the objective of further concretizing major tasks to successfully implement the Resolution. This Action Program identifies specific tasks to be performed by central and local state administrative agencies in the coming time and their performance roadmap.

II. SPECIFIC CONTENTS

To achieve the above objective, in the time ahead, in addition to their regular tasks, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and provincial-level People’s Committees should concretize, and concentrate on the performance of, the following tasks:

1. Popularizing and increasing public awareness about the Resolution

a/ To popularize and increase public awareness about the contents of Resolution 06, the policy on the country’s deep and comprehensive integration in the new development period, the requirement to maintain socio-political stability, and important orientations and tasks of international integration in each sector and field among ministries, sectors, localities, socio-political organizations, Party organizations at all levels, enterprises, and people of all strata;

b/ To raise awareness about opportunities and challenges of international economic integration, including the commitment to implementing economic agreements, new-generation free trade agreements and conventions which Vietnam has acceded to or ratified;

c/ To widely disseminate the guideline of “regarding international integration as a major orientation for building and safeguarding the socialist Fatherland” to partners, the international community and overseas Vietnamese. To increase diversified activities in different modes to introduce and advertise the image of Vietnamese land and people and information on Vietnam’s integration and development process to other countries around the world. To effectively implement the External Information Strategy during 2011-2020;

d/ To promote public information on the ASEAN Community in order to enhance diplomatic and cooperative relations between Vietnam and regional countries and, at the same time, express Vietnam’s concern about and contribution to the common development of the Community.

2. Building capacity for effective international economic integration

a/ To further refine according to specific roadmaps the system of legal documents up to international standards, and gradually remove commanding-administrative measures. To attach importance to incorporating the contents of treaties to which Vietnam is a contracting party in domestic laws; to enhance law enforcement capacity; to develop legal services in a synchronous manner and step up the socialization of these services;

b/ To build, and raise the operation efficiency of, a law-ruled socialist state, with a constructive government as the core. To effectively carry out administrative reforms, simplify administrative procedures, promote judicial reform and build a streamlined and clean state apparatus, promote democracy and increase responsibility, discipline and order;

c/ To increase training and retraining of cadres, civil servants and public employees to have qualities and qualifications to fulfill their tasks, especially awareness about accelerating international economic integration along with maintaining macroeconomic and socio-political stability and developing international integration capacity. To conduct researches into international integration theories and practices to serve the deployment of international integration in each sector and field and at each level;

d/ To implement in a coordinated manner mechanisms, policies and solutions for human resources development to meet socio-economic development and international economic integration requirements. To focus on fundamentally and comprehensively renewing the national education; to step up technology transfer and vocational training and training linked with enterprises; to apply scientific and technological advances in production and business activities;

dd/ To develop synchronous infrastructure facilities, ensuring their connectivity and increasing regional and international connection; to provide services and develop goods distribution and circulation systems of high quality. To prioritize, and diversify forms of attraction of, investment in building infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure;

e/ To carefully review international commitments and, on the basis of Vietnamese law, prepare appropriate technical measures (technological, food hygiene and safety, origin, and environmental protection standards, etc.) with a view to guaranteeing the implementation of international commitments in parallel with protecting Vietnam’s interests and supporting the development of local enterprises and commodities;

g/ To improve the operation of the National Steering Committee on International Integration and interdisciplinary steering committees for economic, political-national defense-security, socio-cultural and other areas; to effectively implement the Overall Strategy on International Integration through 2020 and with a vision toward 2030; to ensure the effective, uniform and harmonious direction, administration, coordination, inspection and supervision of international integration activities among sectors and fields from central to local level.

3. Raising competitiveness of enterprises and the whole economy

a/ To maintain the macroeconomic stability, create an environment and momentum for economic development and integration, and maintain socio-political stability. Focus shall be placed on implementing tight financial policies and active and flexible monetary policies; effectively combining monetary, financial and other policies, ensuring public debt safety and reducing state budget deficit; and maintaining the national financial-monetary security;

b/ To concentrate efforts on improving socialist-oriented market economic institutions; to accelerate the synchronous and smooth formation and development of markets of all types. To speed up the restructuring of the banking system in association with the handling of non-performing loans on the basis of ensuring safety of the system, raising the operation efficiency of credit institutions, and step by step raising the international competitiveness of Vietnam’s banking system;

c/ In the next 5-10 years, to focus on implementing agreements and commitments in the concluded economic-trade agreements. Careful consideration should be made before the conclusion of or accession to new agreements;

d/ To vigorously restructure the economy in association with changing the growth model and raising effectiveness and competitiveness. To concentrate efforts on restructuring industries and creating a foundation for industrialization and modernization. To accelerate the restructuring of agriculture and rural economy in association with building a new countryside and improving the lives of rural inhabitants;

dd/ To increase labor productivity; to mobilize every resource for economic development; to create motive force for all economic sectors to further promote their creativity and potential;

e/ To supplement and improve mechanisms and policies to drive the development of enterprises. To formulate and implement policies to support and facilitate the development of Vietnamese enterprises, especially private enterprises and small- and medium-sized enterprises, and to encourage the formation of startups in conformity with the commitments to which Vietnam has acceded;

g/ To expeditiously modify and finalize the foreign direct investment attraction and use strategy along the line of attaching importance to foreign-invested projects that apply high and advanced technologies, create spillover development effects and connect with domestic enterprises. To formulate and implement policies to promote investment in supporting industries and assisting Vietnamese enterprises in joining regional and global production networks and value chains;

h/ To attach importance to developing high-quality human resources, intensify application of scientific and technological advances, and take measures to increase labor productivity of Vietnam.

4. Developing industries, agriculture and rural areas

a/ To concentrate efforts on restructuring industries to create a foundation for industrialization and modernization. To focus on accelerating the development of industries of high scientific and technological content, national value proportions and added value. To prioritize the development of supporting industries and diversify materials for domestic production;

b/ To accelerate the restructuring of agriculture and rural economy, develop production in association with building a new countryside, and improve the lives of rural inhabitants. To focus on developing agriculture with clean and environment-friendly products of high yield and value and exportability;

c/ To expeditiously formulate a master plan on development of competitive commodities and products of Vietnam and, at the same time, prepare response solutions for supporting commodity lines and items that are greatly and directly affected by international market fluctuations;

d/ To capitalize on the international integration process and concluded trade agreements to seek and expand markets for export of Vietnam’s competitive farm products.

5. Maintaining and strengthening national defense and security

a/ To strengthen the national defense and security potential and fortify the all-people defense and people’s security posture. To build a revolutionary armed force that is regular, well-trained and gradually modernized as the core to safeguard the Fatherland. To attach importance to building the self-defense and militia force and reserve force; to develop the national defense and security industry;

b/ To proactively detect and timely fight wrongful acts of abusing international integration to infringe upon the national security of Vietnam or impose political requirements on the country; to combat transnational, hi-tech, economic crimes, terrorism, etc.

c/ To properly combine national defense and security tasks with development and integration. To synchronously implement solutions to ensuring security and social order and safety. To build a disciplined and secure society. To raise the effectiveness of law enforcement forces ready to cope with all circumstances. In the course of implementation of economic projects and works, especially in defense areas and important and strategic places, all requirements on national defense and security must be ensured;

d/ To identify fields in which and partners with which cooperation should be promoted as well as issues to which the country should hold fast in order to firmly maintain national independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, ensure national security and preserve social order and safety. To step up the fight against crime, especially transnational, hi-tech, economic crimes and terrorism, thus creating a sound and stable production and business environment to effectively serve the national renewal, industrialization and modernization and international integration;

dd/ To combine dissemination of information and raising of public awareness about the importance and inevitability of international integration with enhancing education about and heightening the revolutionary vigilance within the entire Party, entire people and entire army against plots and activities of hostile forces aiming to abuse Vietnam’s international integration and use peaceful evolution to sabotage the country.

6. Raising the effectiveness of foreign-relation activities and heightening the international position of Vietnam in the integration process

a/ To proactively create a strategic state for maintaining a peaceful and stable environment conducive to national construction and defense; to firmly grasp the established policies and guidelines to ensure flexibility in cooperation and struggle with a view to bringing into the fullest play the strength of the entire nation;

b/ To step up and proactively deepen relations with partners, especially those of strategic importance to the national development and security; to proactively and actively participate in building the ASEAN Community and substantiate the established relationship frameworks to intertwine interests of Vietnam and its partners;

c/ To step up international integration in the field of national defense and security and take advantage of the support of the international community for maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, expand cooperative relations with other countries with a view to strengthening the national defense and security potential, especially the capacity of management and law enforcement forces at sea. To proactively and actively participate in developing and implementing a common regional legal framework in conformity with the interests and capacity of Vietnam.

7. Protecting and promoting national cultural values

a/ To raise the effect of management of culture in the context of market economy development, comprehensive integration and information and communication technology boom;

b/ To harmonize economic and cultural development; to develop the culture industry in tandem with building and developing the cultural market. To tap economic aspects of culture and increase cultural values in typical products of each locality. To preserve and increasingly promote the fine cultural traditions of the community of Vietnamese ethnic groups;

c/ To step up bilateral and multilateral cultural cooperation. To integrate international integration activities in the process of formulating and implementing the strategy on conservation, promotion and advertising of cultural values;

d/ To raise the effectiveness of state management of contents of cultural products; to resolutely control and prevent the intrusion of unhealthy cultural products into Vietnam;

dd/ Local authorities shall proactively coordinate with related ministries and sectors in organizing cultural programs involving foreign elements in localities or in foreign countries to introduce and advertise typical cultural traits of their localities and, at the same time, expand exchange and cooperation with foreign cities and localities.

8. Regarding labor and social affairs

a/ To further improve the legal system and institutions on labor, employment and social security to be conformable with international commitments and standards in the context of Vietnam’s international economic integration. To enhance capacity for labor inspectorates;

b/ To early improve the legal framework regulating labor and social relations, especially activities that arise when social organizations on labor relations are established, including revising the Labor Code;

c/ To proactively and thoroughly carry out sustainable poverty reduction according to the multidimensional approach; to narrow the development gap between urban and rural areas and among regions and ethnic groups, ensuring social equity. To proactively formulate and implement policies on social protection for groups of people negatively impacted by the integration process;

d/ To ensure the minimum living standards for workers and basic social services for the population, such as education, health care, housing, clean water, and information. To raise the quality of health care at all levels. To expand the model of satellite hospitals and family doctors. To increase health workers for rural, mountainous, border and island areas;

dd/ To develop high-quality human resources according to demands who are able to join the regional and global labor markets.

9. Regarding environmental protection

a/ To synchronously implement measures to proactively manage natural resources, protect the environment and respond to climate change. To increase the contents on environmental protection in the national education programs at all grades. To attach importance to inspection and examination work and strictly handle violations. To adopt gas emission regulations and standards according to appropriate roadmaps;

b/ To proactively take strong measures to improve environmental quality and people’s living conditions. To closely control polluting sources. To limit then eliminate pollution in craft villages, river basins, industrial parks and urban areas. To thoroughly handle seriously polluting establishments;

c/ To expeditiously formulate, complete and strictly implement regulations on enterprises’ social responsibility toward consumers and the environment. To promote the socialization of environmental sanitation and protection activities; to prevent, report and denounce acts that harm the environment;

d/ To exploit and use minerals while protecting the environment. To step up survey and assessment of mineral potential and reserves; to better plan and manage and supervise the rational, efficient and economical use of natural resources;

dd/ To exploit and sustainably use water sources; to proactively carry out international cooperation in the protection and management of sustainable use of transnational water sources. To further protect and develop forests, especially coastal protection forests, watershed forests and special-use forests, and conserve the nature and biodiversity;

e/ To increase public information and education about environmental protection for the entire people and society with a view to raising public awareness about sustainable development of Vietnam and the world.

10. Guidelines and policies on renewal of the organization and operation of trade unions, and establishment of workers’ organizations

a/ For Vietnamese trade unions:

- To strengthen the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and bring into play its role in protecting workers’ interests and properly and promptly dealing with problems arising in labor, employment and labor relations to help maintain socio-political stability. To heighten the position of trade unions in the society.

- To renew the Party’s leadership of grassroots trade unions in the process of international integration, with a focus on directing the renewal of the organization and operation to enable the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor to proactively perform its functions and tasks defined in the Constitution and Trade Union Law, meeting the requirements in the new situation.

- To increase propaganda, education and mass mobilization at workplaces and residence places of workers’ families regarding lawful interests of workers as well as their civic obligation to observe laws and join grassroots organizations of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.

- The State will pay attention to, support and create conditions for grassroots trade unions to have adequate resources for representing workers and protecting their lawful and legitimate rights and interests and mobilizing workers and newly established workers’ organizations to join the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor.

b/ Formation and operation of workers’ organizations

- To effectively manage the formation and operation of workers’ organizations at enterprises through revising, adding or issuing regulations on the process of registration of formation and operation of these organizations in accordance with Vietnamese law and international commitments; to organize a management apparatus and adopt appropriate mechanisms and institutions for guidance, assistance and management to help workers’ organizations build up healthy labor relations at enterprises, and represent workers and protect their legitimate rights and interests in accordance with law.

- To ensure that the formulation and operation of workers’ organizations within the scope of labor relations, and early detect and promptly handle violations.

- Externally, to timely inform foreign partners of Vietnam’s efforts in implementing international commitments concerning labor relations and of the registration and operation of workers’ organizations; to resolutely fight plots and actions that abuse this issue to interfere in Vietnam’s internal affairs or build opposition forces to sabotage the country from the inside.

III. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. Based on the major tasks set out in this Action Program and their functions and tasks, ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall direct their attached agencies and units in setting out specific tasks in their annual work plans.

2. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall direct, examine and urge the implementation of this Action Program; and send before November 30 every year report on implementation results to interdisciplinary steering committees on international integration and concurrently to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for summarization and reporting to the Prime Minister and Head of the National Steering Committee on International Integration.

3. The Government Office shall assist the Prime Minister in directing and urging the implementation of this Action Program. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall act as the focal point to annually summarize the implementation of the program, make reports, and propose to the Party’s Political Bureau and Secretariat and the Government necessary measures to ensure the effective and synchronous implementation of the program.

4. The Ministry of Finance shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related units in, making budget estimates and arranging budget funds for implementation of this Action Program.

5. In the course of implementation of this Action Program, any amendments to its contents should be reported to the Prime Minister and Head of the National Steering Committee on International Integration for consideration and decision.-

On behalf of the Government

Prime Minister

NGUYEN XUAN PHUC