Vietnam: Press Release No. 16 on the 6th meeting of the 15th National Assembly

Delegates attending the meeting on November 20, 2023

Morning meeting

Under the chairmanship of Vice Chairman of the National Assembly - Tran Quang Phuong, the National Assembly discussed at the National Assembly Building of Vietnam the results of the supervision over the settlement of voters' petitions sent to the 5th meeting, 15th National Assembly. In the discussion meeting, 22 delegates spoke, 1 delegate debated; wherein the delegates' opinions basically agreed with the Report of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam on the results of supervising the settlement of voters' petitions. They assessed that most of the voters' opinions and petitions had been addressed by the Government of Vietnam, the Prime Minister, ministries, and central authorities, contributing to solving difficulties, obstacles, and inadequacies in implementing policies and laws at the local level. Additionally, the delegates focused on discussing various topics: the reassignment and transfer of duties for population officers; the local shortage of medicines and medical supplies at some medical facilities, public hospitals in several provinces and cities; the issue of health insurance payments; housing support policies for people who have contributed to the revolution, poor households; the confirmation of backlogged records concerning people with meritorious services; social security issues; solutions to protect children online; the issues of private tutoring; support for connecting digital platform data; compensation for people living in the safety corridor of wind power projects; issues in waste management; high-tech crime; reconsideration of some land-related verdicts in Da Nang city recently; collective, excessive complaints; strengthening the legal education and dissemination for voters and people; the policy for developing Vietnam's silk industry; mechanisms supporting agricultural production; investment in road transport projects; consideration and support for costs of measurement, enumeration to issue land use rights certificates... Furthermore, to improve the results of resolving voters' petitions, delegates suggested that the National Assembly delegations and deputies conduct thorough supervision of the responses to voters' petitions; the National Assembly delegations should proactively host early voter meetings before and after meetings and accurately compile petitions to send to competent authorities; the National Assembly and deputies should plan to supervise the responses from ministries and sectors to urge and monitor implementation; enhance training on citizen reception, resolving complaints, and petitions of voters.

During the discussion, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam - Nguyen Hoa Binh; Minister of Health - Dao Hong Lan; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development - Le Minh Hoan; Minister of Education and Training - Nguyen Kim Son; Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs - Dao Ngoc Dung provided explanations and clarified certain issues raised by National Assembly deputies.

Afternoon meeting

1. From 2:00 PM to 3:10 PM: Under the chairmanship of Vice Chairman of the National Assembly - Nguyen Duc Hai, the National Assembly discussed at the National Assembly Building of Vietnam the draft Resolution on applying additional corporate income tax as per the regulations against global base erosion. In the discussion, 10 delegates spoke; all delegates concurred on the urgent need to promulgate the Resolution following the streamlined procedure within a single meeting regarding applying additional corporate income tax as per regulations against global base erosion. At the same time, delegates suggested that there should be favorable investment policies to retain and continue to attract investors; proposed thorough impact assessments for appropriate regulations in the Resolution and solutions to ensure the investment environment; recommended reviewing and reassessing preferential policies for comprehensive amendments to related regulations that align with the new situation, considering preferences for Vietnamese corporations and enterprises.

2. From 3:10 PM to 3:30 PM and 3:50 PM to 4:20 PM: Under the chairmanship of Vice Chairman of the National Assembly - Nguyen Duc Hai, the National Assembly listened to Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc, authorized by the Prime Minister of Vietnam, present the Proposal and Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Finance and Budget Le Quang Manh present the Appraisal Report on the VAT reduction. Then, the National Assembly discussed at the National Assembly Building of Vietnam the reduction of VAT. In this discussion, 5 delegates spoke; most delegates agreed on the necessity to issue the VAT reduction policy to stimulate consumption, promote production and business, stimulate economic growth, and create more jobs for workers. Additionally, some delegates proposed clarifying further the necessity of issuing the policy, thoroughly assessing the feasibility of achieving consumption stimulus goals, and evaluating the basis for forecasting budget impacts and long-term macroeconomic effects. The delegates agreed on the scope, object, policy application time, and effective date. Some suggested expanding the policy to include all groups of goods and services currently subjected to a 10% tax rate; others proposed applying the policy for the entire year of 2024.

At the end of the discussion, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc provided explanations and clarified certain issues raised by National Assembly deputies.

Tuesday, November 21, 2023: The National Assembly of Vietnam held a plenary meeting at the National Assembly Building of Vietnam to listen: to the reports and Appraisal Report on the work of the Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy; the work on preventing and combating crime and law violations, and the execution of judgments in 2023; the Report and Appraisal Report on preventing and combating corruption in 2023. Afterward, the National Assembly discussed at the National Assembly Building of Vietnam the reports on the work of the Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuracy; work on preventing and combating crime and law violations; execution of judgments; and preventing and combating corruption in 2023./.

Source: National Assembly's web portal

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