GOVERNMENT IN BRIEF 18/7 PM pushes for state budget collection target Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked the financial sector to spare no effort to meet the target on State budget revenues for this year. PM Dung made the request at the Ministry of Finance’s conference in Hanoi on July 17 to review the implementation of financial-budgetary tasks in the January-June period and the work in the remaining months of this year. He stressed that the ministry should closely watch the refund of added-value tax, take action against the transfer of prices, deal with tax evasion and debt while heeding administrative reforms, especially in taxation and customs. The leader also urged ministries, departments and localities to seriously monitor how the State money is spent to minimise wastefulness, especially costs in business travelling abroad, seminars, and equipment procurement. The ministry reported that it collected over 356.5 trillion VND (16.9 billion USD) for the State budget in the first half of this year, or 43.7 percent of the estimates, a low level compared to the same period of several recent years. Considering the current progress of budget collection, participants said it is very likely that budget revenues will decrease this year, while spending demand is increasing for economic revival and surmounting the aftermath of natural disasters and infectious diseases. Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Huy Tuong said the city may collect only 117.8 billion VND (5.6 billion USD) this year, equivalent to 73 percent of estimates. He said the domestic economic turndown has forced numerous businesses to shut down, thus taking a toll on budget collection. Added to this, the State’s tax break policy also resulted in a reduction of more than 9.9 trillion VND (428 million USD) in budget contributions. In order to fulfill the financial and budgetary tasks this year, the finance ministry pledged to continue with a strict and thrifty budgetary policy. At the same time, it will also keep a close watch over markets and prices, implement measures to stimulate production and trading, facilitate exports and control imports to drive trade deficit to the lowest level. The ministry will step up the equitisation of State-owned enterprises and overhaul the financial mechanism in public sectors, strengthen the monitoring of financial market and institutions, and clamp down on corruption, wastefulness and negative occurrences. It also suggested the Government handle the budget in the principle of sharing difficulties between the central and local governments, while localities should work harder to collect debts to offset tax breaks and exemption. Vice NA Chairwoman receives Lao youth delegation Vietnam consistently creates the best possible conditions for the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Unions of Vietnam and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union to strengthen cooperation in all fields.   Vice National Assembly Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong meets with the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union. (Photo: VNA) Party Politburo member and Vice National Assembly Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong made the affirmation during her reception on July 17 in Hanoi for a delegation from the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union’s Central Committee, led by its Vice Secretary Khampha Phimmasone. The Vice NA Chairwoman expressed her delight at the outcomes of cooperation between the two youth unions over the past time, especially in the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity Friendship Year (2012). She said the two sides should increase exchanges and experience sharing at all levels in the fields of personnel training, voluntary work and most importantly, in educating the young generations about the time-honoured special friendship between Vietnam and Laos. The Lao youth union leader affirmed that his side will work closely with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to implement signed agreements. He expressed the wish that Vietnam will continue to help Laos in training young cadres. The Lao delegation is in Vietnam to attend the annual Vietnam-Laos youth friendship exchange. Young Viet kieu welcomed home Every Vietnamese youth living overseas is an ambassador to the nation, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said while he received a delegation representing overseas Vietnamese (Viet kieu) in Ha Noi yesterday, July 17. Thirty Vietnamese youngsters, mostly students, from 24 countries around the world have been visiting their homeland since arriving last week to attend Summer Camp 2013. Nhan also told the delegates to portray themselves as friendly and diligent Vietnamese people and to contribute more to the development of their own countries as well as their homeland. They were also told to strive to be fluent in speaking and writing Vietnamese. Nhan also said that the Vietnamese Party and State always appreciated contributions from those Vietnamese living overseas and paid particular attention to them. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the event, in which young Vietnamese living overseas have the opportunity to travel around the country and to learn more about its culture, traditions and history. VNN/VNS/VNA