Vietnam targets economic growth of 6.5-6.7 pct in 2018

HANOI, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam has targeted a growth of 6.5-6.7 percent in its gross domestic product (GDP) next year, according to a resolution on socioeconomic development plan for 2018 passed by the country's top legislature on Friday.

Vietnam is determined to post GDP growth of 6.7 percent in 2017, up from 6.21 percent in 2016, and 6.68 percent in 2015.

The country has eyed export turnover increase of 7-8 percent, a trade deficit of below 3 percent of the total export turnover; and total investment for social development representing 33-34 percent of the GDP next year, according to the resolution adopted by Vietnam's National Assembly at its ongoing fourth session in Hanoi.

Other targets set for next year include the poor households rate declining by 1-3 percent, the unemployment rate dropping to below 4 percent, the trained worker ratio accounting for 58-60 percent of the workforce, 85.2 percent of the population being covered by health insurance, and the forest coverage surging to 41.6 percent.

To this end, Vietnam will maintain macro-economic stability, facilitate establishment of new enterprises, restructure agriculture, further develop the domestic processing and manufacturing sectors, ensure sufficient allocation of cultivated land for ethnic minority groups, promote sales of domestic goods, reform education and training, and intensify anti-corruption campaigns.