Vietnamese PM projects 10-year socioeconomic plan

Dung said the development of the strategy was based on lessons learned in the implementation of the previous 10 years of socioeconomic development (2001-2010).

"During the past 10 years, though our economy was seriously affected by the financial crisis in the region and the world, we still registered many important achievements by overcoming numerous difficulties and challenges," he said.

Vietnam was now entering a new strategic period in the context of rapid, yet complex changes in the world, he added.

Dung wrote that there are three main tendencies internationally these days. First, there are big advances in science and technology and the formation of a knowledge-based economy. These are the driving forces for the demand for global economic and market restructuring. They contribute to the speeding up of economic reform and restructuring of each economy as well as economic relations between nations.

The second tendency is the process of globalisation and deeper economic linkage between nations. The third is the rise in economic and political power of some economies, particularly India and China.

"What's happening in the world presents us with both challenges and opportunities," said Dung. "The socio-economic strategy for the next 10 years will no doubt be appropriate for our country's situation within the context of the world situation."

Dung said rapid yet sustainable development was the idea underpinning the country's strategy for the next decade.

"The goal of comprehensive renewal, in both economics and politics, is a socialist Viet Nam with a prosperous people, a mighty nation and a democratic, fair and civilised society," said Dung.

Writing about the national economy, Dung said the State economy would continue to uphold its dominant role, allowing the Government to regulate and guide the country's economic development as well as stabilise the macro economy.

Prime Minister Dung said in the next 10 years, Viet Nam would prioritise three projects. The first would be the creation of the socialist-oriented market economy; central to this would be the establishment of a fair competition environment and ongoing administrative reform.

Second, there needed to be rapid development of human resources, particularly skilled workers. In order to do that, the country would focus on making comprehensive changes to its education system while stepping up research and development activities.

Finally, the country needed to build a synchronous infrastructure system, particularly when it came to the transport system and major urban areas. Fourth, the government aims to focus efforts on solving hot issues in the fields of culture and society while formulating and implementing effectively the 2011-20 Social Security Strategy, the Sustainable Poverty Reduction Programme and the Employment Programme in the 2011-15 period.