Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has madesignificant socio-economic strides in February despite the week-long Tetholiday, heard a regular Cabinet meeting in Hanoi on March 1.  

At the February meeting, also the firstsitting in the Lunar New Year, Cabinet members were told that, the macroeconomy, as well as interest and foreign exchange rates remained stable.

February’s consumer price index (CPI)increased by 0.73 percent, with food and catering services up 1.53 percent, andtransport up 0.79 percent. The index in the first two months of this year roseby 2.9 percent year-on-year.

Exports continued to grow sharply to reach13.4 billion USD in the month, raising the total export value in the first twomonths to 33.6 billion USD, up nearly 23 percent year-on-year, with soarsrecorded in rice (34 percent), cashew (94 percent), vegetables and fruits (60percent), and seafood (30 percent).

Export revenue of the domestic economic sectorsurged 25.7 percent, higher than that of the foreign direct investment (FDI)sector.

A trade surplus of 1.08 billion USD is thehighlight of the national economy in February.

The total retail sales of goods and servicesexpanded by 13.2 percent last month and 10.1 percent in the first two months.

Vietnam served 1.43 million internationalvisitors in February, up nearly 20 percent, and 2.86 million inJanuary-February, up close to 30 percent.

As of February 20, FDI disbursementswere estimated at 1.7 billion USD, up over 9.7 percent year-on-year.

During the first two months, nearly19,000 new enterprises were formed in the country, up nearly 30 percent in thenumber of firms and 29.3 percent in registered capital compared to the sameperiod last year.

At the same time, attention has been paidto socio-economic affairs, and social welfare.

The new style rural area construction programme has been going on steadily,security and defence has been reinforced, and social order has beenensured.-VNA