Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, July 25 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai gave an interview to the Viet Nam News Agency (VNA) immediately after his re-election as head of the Government today, July 25.

Following are questions and answers:

Question: What do you think about the Government's execution of national socio-economic development in the new tenure?

Answer: The Government has devised a Plan of Action to implement the Resolution passed by the 9th national Party Congress, the strategy for the 2001-2010 period and the five-year plan (2001-2005).

In the new tenure, the government will further discuss drastic measures to make these programmes a success and increase its capacity of executive performance with a focus on the following three major tasks in socio-economic development:

First, raise the effectiveness and competitiveness of the national economy in order to ensure a rapid and sustainable economic development.

Second, promote comprehensive human development, develop human resources and improve the social and natural environment.

Third, build a strong and effective administrative system; combat corruption, wasteful spending and red tape as well as promote democracy and openness in tandem with increasing discipline and order in the State apparatus and the whole society as well.

Because these tasks are intertwined and supplement each other, they require that greater efforts be made by people of all strata and organizations at all levels and in all sectors to settle pressing problems and create the firm groundwork for long-term and sustainable development of the country.

Q: Could you please make clear the task of building the State's administrative system?

A: In its 10th tenure, the Government developed an overall programme on the administrative reform for the 2001-2010 period in connection with the socio-economic reforms as well as the overall renewal of the political system in order to make our administrative system democratic, transparent, healthy, professional, modern, effective and efficient as well as to help it keep close contacts with the people and ensure the nature of our law-governed socialist State.

In the new tenure, the Government will concentrate its efforts on three major tasks:

- Supplementing and perfecting organisational and operational regulations on the State administrative system in accordance with the development of a socialist-oriented market economy.

- Resolutely and effectively fighting corruption, wastefulness and bureaucracy.

- Increasing discipline in the State administrative system and maintaining social order and the rule of law.

Institutionally, it is necessary to make clear the functions, tasks, jurisdiction and responsibilities of each branch, level, organisation and individual. Decentralisation should be accelerated and the workstyle improved in order to make the administrative system closer to and more easily inspected by the people.

More efforts should be concentrated on the on-going struggle against corruption, especially embezzlement and graft in land management and construction investment as well as the abuse of gaps in the administrative procedures and policies to take bribes and graft.

To fulfil its task, the Government and its administrative organizations at all levels must make greater efforts to enhance the aggregate strength of all people, the entire political system and the mass media by promoting democracy and openness as well as strengthening the supervision of the National Assembly and the People's Council at all levels.--Enditem