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Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on April 28 urged for solutions to curb trade deficit as he pointed out this as one of the factors that leads to macro-economy instability.
The PM made the call at the monthly cabinet meeting in Hanoi where he was reported that the trade deficit hit 11.1 billion USD in the first four months.
Measures to rein in surging prices and combat speculation must be deployed at the same time, PM Dung stressed.
He also required localities, particularly areas inhabited by ethnic minorities and hit by flooding, to ensure food security and assist poverty-stricken households.
The PM affirmed strict and broad-ranging implementation of measures to contain inflation brought in initial encouraging outcomes.
He cited the slow increase in consumer price index (CPI), with a rise of 2.2 percent in April, from 2.99 percent in March, 3.56 percent in February and 2.38 percent in January.
However, the PM still asked for the continuous implementation of the 10 percent cut in State budget expenses.
The Ministry of Planning and Investment reported that exports brought in 18.26 billion USD while the nation spent up to 29.36 billion USD on imports in the first four months.
The country attracted more than 7.2 billion USD in new foreign investment in the period.
Industrial production value was estimated at 215.5 trillion VND, increasing 16.4 percent over the same time last year, and the State budget revenues were close to 125 trillion VND, or 38.6 percent of the yearly estimate.
At the meeting, cabinet members heard about the plan to expand Hanoi and other issues.
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