HANOI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam will strive to post a gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.6-6.8 percent next year, compared to the target of 6.5-6.7 percent set for 2018.
The plan has been approved on Thursday by the National Assembly of Vietnam, the country's top legislature, during its ongoing 6th session of the 14th tenure.
Other socioeconomic development targets set for 2019 include an increase of 7-8 percent in export turnovers, a rise of some 4 percent in consumer price index, an urban unemployment rate of below 4 percent, trade deficit accounting for below 3 percent of export turnovers, and total investment capital making up 33-34 percent of GDP.
Vietnam, whose economy grew 6.98 percent in the first three quarters of this year, recording the highest nine-month growth rate since 2011, is likely to post GDP growth of over 6.7 percent, exceeding the target of the National Assembly, its Economic Committee estimated.
Earlier in October, the World Bank predicted that Vietnam's economy would reach 6.8 percent this year, up from the rate of 6.5 percent as forecasted in April. The organization also raised Vietnam's 2019 economic growth forecast to 6.6 percent from 6.5 percent, and kept the country's 2020 economic growth forecast unchanged at 6.5 percent.
