He was speaking Saturday while chairing the Government’s regular September meeting and an online conference with ministries, sectors and 34 provinces and centrally-run cities.
Finance Minister Ngo Van Tuan said Vietnam’s economy posted its strongest nine-month growth in many years, creating a foundation for the country’s double-digit growth target.
GDP grew an estimated 9.95% in the third quarter, bringing nine-month growth to 9.01%. Twelve localities recorded growth of more than 10%, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh and Bac Ninh.
International arrivals reached a record 17 million in the first nine months, up 14.5% year on year. Registered foreign direct investment exceeded 50 billion USD, with more than 21 billion USD disbursed.
The health sector also launched free periodic health screenings for about 52 million people, alongside efforts to expand electronic health records.
Hanoi’s third-quarter growth exceeded 10%. Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Dai Thang said major infrastructure projects, including ring roads, bridges and five urban railway lines, are entering an accelerated construction phase.
“Investment in infrastructure is generating additional demand for construction, materials, engineering, transport and related services. Hanoi is focusing on site clearance, streamlining administrative procedures and securing construction materials, while prioritizing projects capable of generating substantial output in the fourth quarter,” said Mr. Thang.
Ho Chi Minh City is targeting fourth-quarter growth of more than 13.5% and 100% disbursement of planned public investment capital.
Vice Chairman of the city’s People’s Committee Nguyen Loc Ha said the city will focus on projects that can quickly boost investment and growth.
“The city is determined to make up for earlier delays and complete the disbursement of around 36 trillion VND in remaining public investment capital, with priority given to inter-regional transport and urban railway projects. We will also work with investors to accelerate key projects in Can Gio, including the international transshipment port, urban areas, urban railway lines and artificial intelligence data centers,” said Ha.
Meanwhile, Son La, Dak Lak and Vinh Long provinces reported bottlenecks including site-clearance difficulties, shortages of construction materials and complicated project-adjustment procedures.
Businesses also continue to face barriers in accessing credit and completing land, construction and environmental procedures.
Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung called for stronger efforts to boost exports, improve the trade balance, expand the domestic market and ensure stable supplies of electricity and petroleum products.
Mr. Hung said: “We must increase the exploitation of domestic primary energy resources to reduce imports, particularly oil, gas and coal, while ensuring supplies for production and end-use energy demand. We also need to accelerate key energy and industrial projects, closely manage petroleum trading and create greater room for industrial growth.”
Education and Training Minister Hoang Minh Son said sufficient textbooks have been printed and distributed, with reserves prepared for the 2026–2027 school year. The Government plans to provide free textbooks from the 2028–2029 school year, one year earlier than currently planned.
Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung called on ministries, sectors and localities to fully tap available growth drivers and remove bottlenecks in the fourth quarter.
He said: “This is a decisive final stretch, requiring ministries, sectors and localities to take concrete action and fully tap available room and drivers for growth. Ministries and sectors must comprehensively remove obstacles through concrete, sufficiently strong and feasible solutions to bring about further positive changes in the fourth quarter of 2026.”
The Prime Minister called for improvements to the legal framework, faster resolution of long-delayed projects, and 100% disbursement of planned public investment capital in 2026.
Localities were asked to review their nine-month growth performance and identify targets that need to be made up in the fourth quarter. Major economic hubs, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh and Dong Nai, were urged to strengthen their role as growth drivers and contribute more to the country’s overall economic performance.
