The 2nd session of the 16th City People’s Council opened

The 2^nd session of the 16^th City Peple’s Council was held at 8am, August 11^th at Hai Phong Convention Center.

The meeting was attended by the following comrades: Nguyen Van Tung, Vice Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Chairman of the Municipal People’s Committee; Pham Van Lap, Chairman of the Municipal People’s Council; Cao Xuan Liên, Chairman of Haiphong’s Vietnamese Fatherland Front; Deputies of the 15^th National Assembly in Haiphong and those of the Municipal People’s Council; Leaders of agencies, units and districts.

Mr. Ha The Vinh, Chief of the Office of the City’s National Assembly Delegation and People’s Council introduced the opening program of the session

The session’s view

After the opening ceremony, deputies of the City People’s Council voted to pass through the agenda of the 16^th City People’s Council. The session would take place in 1.5 days (From August 11^th to 12^th) to review the implementation of the tasks and solutions to socio-economic development in the first half of the year and decide on tasks and solutions for socio-economic development in the last 6 months of 2021; decide on the 2022 Monitoring Program of the City People’s Council; approve the city's Public Investment Plan in 2022; consider and issue a number of important resolutions and implement a number of other contents in line with current regulations…

Attendees at the session

Mr. Bui Duc Quang, Vice Chairman of the City People's Council reported the session agenda

Promote wisdom, democratic discussion, focus on resolving important socio-economic development issues

On his opening addressing, Mr. Pham Van Lap, Chairman of the City People's Council affirmed: From the achievements obtained, the city continued to enjoy strong development, successfully organized the election of the 15^th National Assembly deputies and those of the City People's Councils of all levels in the 2021 – 2026 tenure, consolidated the confidence of officials, party members and people of the city. In addition to the advantages, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to develop complicatedly with a series of outbreaks in many provinces and cities nationwide. In that context, under the attention of the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly, the Government, the close leadership and management of the City Party Committee, the People's Council, the City People's Committee, the synchronous and timely participation of the whole political system, consensus, responsible participation of the business community and the city's people, in the first 6 months of 2021, the city successfully implemented the "dual goal", preventing and controlling the COVID-19 epidemic to achieve high efficiency, while achieving many important results on socio-economic development simultaneously. However, the COVID-19 pandemic’s great adverse consequences on people's lives, manufacturing and business activities still remained, especially in the sections of service, tourism, and individual business households. The implementation of a number of key economic indicators were yet to follow the planned schedule; tourist attraction decreased compared to the same period in 2020.

Mr. Pham Van Lap, Chairman of the City People's Council delivered the opening speech

Chairman of the City People's Council Pham Van Lap emphasized: The second session of the 16^th City People's Council was the term’s first meeting to discuss solutions to socio-economic development, national defense and security of the city. As the COVID-19 disease prevention and control was the city’s priority, it was decided that the session would be shortened to 1.5 days, in which the part of direct questioning and answering would be conducted at the next session. At this meeting, the People's Council listened to and discussed the City People's Committee’s Report on the socio-economic situation in the first 6 months of the year; to decide on tasks and solutions in the last 6 months of 2021; The City Council's 2022 Monitoring Program and a number of other important tasks. In response to his responsibility to the constituents and people of the city, he suggested that the deputies of the City People's Council and the delegates attending the meeting raise their sense of responsibility, carefully studying the draft reports, promote wisdom, democratic discussion, frankly contribute quality ideas to improve and resolve the contents raised at the meeting. During the session, he hoped that the constituents and the people of the city would pay attention to and take the time to monitor, contribute ideas to create the overall success of the meeting.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tung, Chairman of the City People's Committee delivered report in culture-society, national defense - security in 6 months and solutions in the last 6 months of the year

Persistently persue “dual goals”

Regarding the socio-economic, defense and security tasks in the first 6 months of 2021, Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Van Tung said:

The first half of the year witnessed the COVID-19 pandemic’s complicated development and more severe impact. However, under the timely, drastic and practical leadership and direction of the Party Central Committee, the Government, and the Prime Minister, along with the high efforts of the whole political system and people of all strata, the city continued to persue "dual goals" in an extremely effective manner, in which drastically preventing and fighting the pandemic, protecting people's health, and promoting socio-economic development simultaneously, gaining the people's trust and consensus. In fact, the city had proactively traced, isolated, tested related cases and well controlled the situation, preventing the epidemic from spreading in the area; supported provinces and cities affected by the disease. At the same time, the city had successfully organized the election of deputies to the 15^th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels in the 2021-2026 tenure.

The city's economic growth reached a high level compared to the national average; some key economic indicators in the first 6 months of 2021 continued to grow over the same period. Specifically, the city's gross domestic product (GRDP) was estimated to increase by 13.52% over the same spell, 2.4 times higher than the national growth rate; the index of industrial production (IIP) is estimated to increase by more than 20% over the same period, 2.2 times higher than the national average; State budget revenue was estimated at more than 45,600 billion VND, up 26.3% over the same period, equaling 51.02% of the estimate assigned by the City People's Council (in which, domestic revenue reached more than 16,500 billion VND, an increase of nearly 39%. over the same period, revenue from import and export activities reached more than 28,000 billion VND, up 20.8% over the same period); total social investment is estimated at 72,750.8 billion VND, equaling 35.66% of the year plan; export turnover is estimated at more than 11.7 billion USD, up more than 31% over the same period, equal to 52.6% of the year plan; cargo throughput through the port is estimated at more than 70 million tons, up 14.7% over the same period; foreign investment (FDI) was estimated at more than 1.4 billion USD, more than 3 times higher than that of the same period last year. At the same time, in the first 6 months of the year, creating jobs for employees reached about 27,000 labors, up 1.89% over the same period. Regarding public investment disbursement, by the end of June 30^th, the city was among the top localities disbursing nearly 6,400 billion VND.

The city had launched a number of major works and projects in traffic and urban areas, contributing to raising the city’s status and paving the way for the city’s numerous socio-economic development. The city leaders remained vigilant to such fields as culture, society and environment whereas social security had been guaranteed. The Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) continued to improve while political - social stability, national defense - security, social order and safety had been strengthened.

Implementing this year’s theme "Promoting urban embellishment and modernization - Building a new countryside", the city had embellished and undergrounded telecommunications peripheral cables in some downtown streets; continued to deploy and accelerate many transport infrastructure projects such as the investment project to build a road from the coastal road (Do Son district); National Highway 10 renovation and upgrading project (Thuy Nguyen district); Investment and construction project to expand DT 363 Road (Kien Thuy district); Investment project on construction of a coastal road route through Hai Phong city; Investment project to build Rao bridge, Quang Thanh bridge, Dinh bridge... Regarding building new exemplary countryside, the city had completed the dossiers of 4 districts Kien Thuy, An Duong, Tien Lang, Thuy Nguyen and submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for recognition as new countryside; continue to build model new rural areas in 8 communes with 163 works; continued to implement the work in 14 communes in 2021.

Focus on 15 tasks and solutions

To successfully persue and maitain the "dual goal", Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Van Tung emphasized 15 specific tasks.

First of all, promoting the effectiveness of measures to prevent, control the COVID-19 pandemic and develop socio-economy, in which the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic was a top priority; control people from epidemic areas to Hai Phong at checkpoints in and out of the city; proactively prepare vaccines for the whole city’s public vaccine administration; Early procurement of medical equipment to ensure treatment in case of COVID-19 outbreak.

Deputies at the session

Focusing on attracting investment, strengthening the discipline of budget revenue and expenditure, to create resources for the city's development; strive to exceed export – import tax revenue assigned by the Central Government to receive revenue surplus grant according to Resolution No. 89 issued by the Government. Domestic revenue in the first 6 months of 2021 was nearly 50% of the plan. However, in order to exceed goal of 35,000 billion VND for the whole year, it was necessary to accelerate land auction procedures, especially those of high-value land plots in urban areas.

Accelerate the disbursement of public investment capital, concentrate resources, remove obstacles and difficulties to implement key projects in 2021. Pay special attention to site clearance and completion of procedures of large projects in which it was necessary to consider responsibility of those in charge of site clearance and disbursement of public investment capital in case of delays.

Make careful preparation given the contents to be submitted at the City People’s Council’s year-end meeting.

Deputies at the session

Deputies at the session

Implement synchronously and effectively solutions to the city's annual theme "Promoting urban embellishment and modernization - Building a new countryside", in which focusing on: strictly managing the construction investment projects; request the Planning and Investment sector to urgently review the medium-term public investment plan for the period of 2021-2025 to adjust in line with the actual situation; transfer capital from slowly disbursed projects to other projects; direct the construction of multi-functional parks in localities in stead of making use of cultural, sports and public works as parks; fully prepare procedures to kick off the construction of a number of large projects having been approved by the end of 2021.

Restoring tourism development in the context of Covid-19; focus on accelerating and facilitating project deployment in Cat Ba and Do Son.

Carrying out review and comprehensive evaluation to develop measures to waste collecting and processing in the city (both urban and rural areas).

Strictly implementing land management in accordance with the provisions of law; imposing severe punishment for land management and use violations.

Studying and proposing to the Central Government to allow Hai Phong to pilot some administrative procedures in order to minimize the implementation time.

Studying and soon deploying 5G technology to contribute to administrative reform and building digital government.

Well performing development tasks in the fields of culture - society, health care, education as well as policies to ensure social security and raise people's living standard.

Keeping updated on the situation of political security, social order and safety, especially the Covid-19 pandemic negatively affecting production, business and social life; implementing solutions to curbing traffic accidents.

Reviewing and reassigning tasks to sections and localities in accordance with their functions and tasks and with the actual situation, ensuring clarity regarding work, responsibilities, and avoiding overlap in the performance of tasks.

Highly focusing on building and submitting a superior mechanism to develop Hai Phong city to the Prime Minister and the National Assembly in October 2021. At the same time, focusing on formulating a provincial master plan project on City master plan to 2030, vision to 2050, submitted to the Prime Minister in April 2022.

Striving for growth goals

Addressing the session, Mr. Do Manh Hien, Standing Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee emphasized: In the remaining months of 2021, the general situation was forecasted to experience further great and complicated difficulties in which the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic was the most unpredictable, causing adverse effects on economic growth and the maintenance of social security, social order and safety.

Mr. Do Manh Hien, Standing Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee

Therefore, it was a top priority for the city Party committees and authorities at all levels to control the epidemic and ensure economic growth, stabilize people's lives, and soon restore the city to the new normal state. At this meeting, in addition to the regular contents, the City Council added a number of important issues for the development of the city and people's lives such as: Policy in withdrawing aquaculture facilities on bays of Cat Ba archipelago to develop city tourism; Amending and supplementing the resolution of the City People’s Committee on amounts, collection, payment, management and use of fees for using facilities, infrastructure, services and public utilities in checkpoint areas of Hai Phong seaport; review the city's implementation of the 2021 theme, the implementation of the City Council's resolutions; progress of key projects in the city and a number of policies having far-reaching impacts on people's lives in the city...

On that account, Standing Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee Do Manh Hien suggested that the delegates of the City People's Council carefully discuss and propose specific and drastic solutions. First of all, keep following the leadership and direction of the Central Government and the Government closely, effectively implement the Resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress, the Resolution of the 16^th Party Congress of the city and other relevant programs, the city's socio-economic development plan set out during the term. Maintain and effectively promote measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic in the past time. Do not be complacent, negligent in disease prevention and control. Deploy as soon as possible the purchase and vaccination against COVID-19 for the city people. It should be common awareness that the best and most effective measure these days is to have an adequate supply of COVID-19 vaccine for the people, regardless of which vaccine it is; comprehensively and fully prepare conditions to ensure vaccine administration on a large scale, and at the same time predict all the possible scenarios in order to be active in all scenarios.

In addition, speed up the allocation and effective use of resources to complete the tasks and targets of the 2021 plan. Keep good performance in planning as well as management of planning and construction order. Study mechanisms and policies to promote the development of enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises; ensure income and stabilize the city people’s life.

Promote the roles and responsibilities of the People's Council Standing Committee, People's Council Departments, People's Council deputies in order to raise the status and improve performance of the People's Councils at all levels; review and adopt regulations and mechanisms in which focus on mechanisms for supervising, questioning and interacting with voters of the City People's Council’s deputies. Strengthening training activities to improve People's Council deputies’ capacity at all levels in supervision, verification and making decision on important issues; question and answer questions; show empathy with opinions and settle constituents' petitions, creating consensus of the people.

Improve the quality of management, direction, administration and performance of tasks of local authorities at all levels, creating positive changes in all aspects of works, meeting the requirements of socio-economic development in the current situation. Prioritize solutions to promote the development of digital economy; strengthen administrative reform; improve the quality of the civil servants awareness and skills in their work; effectively make use of and manage available resources (such as land, natural resources, minerals, etc.)

Submit many important proposals and drafts

At the meeting, Vice Chairman of the City People's Council Bui Duc Quang reported general opinions and recommendations of constituents.

Constituents highly appreciated the leadership and administration of the city and authorities at all levels, proactively and promptly implementing solutions to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic; propose and implement solutions to remove obstacles and difficulties, develop socio-economy, maintain "dual goals" achievements, implement the year theme "Promoting urban embellishment and modernization - Building a new countryside”.

Attendees also listened to Mr. Le Anh Quan, Standing Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, submitting the proposals of the City People's Committee on: Adjustment of the final settlement of state budget revenues in the city; Final settlement of local budget revenues and expenditures in 2019; The medium-term central budget allocation plan for the 2021-2025 period; Adjustment of the city's public investment plan in 2021; the city's tentative public investment plan in 2022.

Mr. Le Anh Quan, Standing Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee presented proposals

Mr. Le Khac Nam, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee presented the City People's Committee's Report on the following projects: Several supporting levels for the implementation of the Government’s Decree No. 105/2020/ND-CP dated September 8th, 2020 stipulating policies on early childhood education development in the city; Establishment of villages and residential groups in Hong Bang and An Duong districts and dissolution of residential groups in Le Chan district; Policy in withdrawing aquaculture facilities on bays of Cat Ba archipelago.

Attendees at the session