Speaking with the press on Dec 29, Hung said this year's national gross domestic product increased 8.17% from last year. The industry and construction sectors grew by 10.37%, followed by the service sector with 8.29% and the agro-forestry and fisheries sector, 3.4%.
Social investment capital hit a record of almost VND399tril, making up 41% of the country's GDP with the State contributing one-third of the figure.
Foreign direct investment rose to a record high of US$9.9bil and the disbursed capital was US$4.1bil, also a record so far. The US$1.126bil project of the Posco Steel Company and the US$605mil project of the Intel Products Viet Nam Ltd. Co. were among the largest licensed in 2006.
Committed official development assistance (ODA) capital for Vietnam reached almost US$4.45bil, with 2006 the second consecutive year that ODA disbursement, at around US$1.8bil, exceeded the target.
The price consumer index increased by 6.6%, lower than the GDP growth rate and much lower than the target set by the NA.
Industry kept its high growth trend with a record rate of 17% in 2006, the 16th consecutive year with a double digit growth, fuelled by a 9.1% increase in the State sector, 23.9% in the private sector, and 18.8% in the foreign-invested sector.
Export revenues set a new record with US$39.6bil, surpassing the yearly plan by 5%, and a year-on-year rise of 22%. The US$1bil earners' club admitted two new members: rubber and coffee, bringing its total number to nine.
Despite the impressive rate, the General Statistics Office chief shared the opinions with other economic experts that the low quality of growth continues to be a problem for Vietnam's economy at this moment.
He said after joining the WTO, Vietnam needs to make strong and suitable restructuring of both sectors and products while improving the growth quality, the investment efficiency and increasing the competitiveness in both domestic and international markets.
Source: Vietnam News Agency, 2 January 2007