Gov’t discusses economic challenges for next six months  HÀ NỘI — This year’s first national governmental e-meeting opened on Monday morning with Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc asking officials to focus on solutions instead of boasting about past achievements. PM Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said that the cabinet listed 18 particular issues that needed serious discussion in the coming time. They included inflation control, macroeconomic stabilisation, urban development and private economy growth among others. — VNA Photo The meeting between the central Government and localities aimed to review Việt Nam’s socio-economic development in the first half of 2018 but also to work out measures to handle weaknesses and problems in governmental management over the next six months. The PM said the country’s development in 2018 has so far progressed across all sectors, with the average gross domestic product growth of the first six months standing at 7.08 per cent. The growth of the industrial, agricultural and services sectors was all reported higher than during the same period last year. “The World Bank forecast Việt Nam’s growth this year at more than 6.8 per cent while Fitch ranked Việt Nam as one of the fastest-growing economies in the Asia-Pacific. But they were just their predictions and whether we can really pull them off depends on our determination entirely,” Phúc told the officials. Phúc said that the cabinet listed 18 particular issues that needed serious discussion in the coming time. They included inflation control, macroeconomic stabilisation, urban development and private economy growth among others. “I suggest that we don’t talk much about our achievements but rather bring practical solutions to the localities’ and the country’s problem,” he said. Inflation put major pressure on the Government as the consumer price index (CPI) shot up in the first six months this year, standing at 0.61 per cent on average– the highest rate recorded over the last seven years. To hold the inflation rate at no higher than 4 per cent, the PM affirmed that the Government would not increase the electricity price this year while medical services were unlikely to see any price hike unless certain conditions were met. Economic growth was not the only concern of the Government. Phúc told the officials that risks could undermine the country’s development in the coming time, including natural disaster, social security and other pressing social issues like traffic safety, food safety and corruption. He cited the riot in Bình Thuận Province last month as an example showing the importance for other localities to ensure security and social order in order to protect the citizens.  VNS