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NA concerned over security risks as Gov't mulls visa exemption for foreigners

HÀ NỘI — Lawmakers today asked for more careful consideration of the draft amended law on exit and entry of foreigners, which would exempt visas for those who stay a duration of less than  三0 days in a coastal economic zone.

The draft law stated that the visa waiver would be possible as long as the economic zone has a clearly delineated boundary, an international airport, and that the policy is proven to be needed for the socio-economic development of the area.

The policy is meant to institutionalise the  三0-day visa exemption that is already being trialled at the island district off the coast of the southern province of Kiên Giang and provide a legal basis to apply the model to other coastal economic zones with similar conditions.

The National Assembly Co妹妹ittee of National Defence and Security, tasked with assessing the draft law, said that Việt Nam currently has many spacious coastal economic zones situated near strategic defence points of the country, so putting in place an indiscriminatory visa exemption for all foreigners entering these areas would pose serious security risks.

Many deputies also thought that facilitation of economic development should not come at the costs of national security and defence.

Trương Trọng Nghĩa, a deputy from HCM City delegation, criticised the policy as “too lax”, saying that while the draft amended law listed a number of requirements for the economic zones, it did not elaborate the criteria to determine the foreigners who are eligible for a visa exemption.

“The visa waiver has been piloted on the Phú Quốc Island, which is far from the mainland, and that doesn’t mean that the measure could be extended to coastal economic zones. In the context where our own sovereignty over the islands and seas is being heavily violated, regulations as stipulated in the draft amended law could lead to the risks of ill-intentioned foreigners intruding into the country under the guise of tourists,” Nguyễn Thị Kim Thuý from the central city of Đà Nẵng’s delegation, said at the ongoing meeting of the  一 四th National Assembly (NA) held in Hà Nội on Thursday.

“The opening up of the border needs to go hand in hand with enhanced management, on the principle that facilitation of economic development and ease of entry for foreigners would not comprise national defence and security,” Thuý said.

According to the report from the Ministry of Public Security, the number of foreigners entering Việt Nam doubled from nearly  八 million in  二0 一 五 to more than  一 六 million by  二0 一 八.

China, South Korea, Japan, US, China’s Taiwan and Russia are the countries and territories with the highest number of citizens arriving in Việt Nam – of which, Chinese nationals account for  三0 per cent, with  一 四. 八 million.

In  二0 一 八, most foreigners came into Việt Nam for tourism purposes, with  一 三 million arrivals, followed by work purposes and visiting relatives, with  一 million and  三00,000 arrivals, respectively.

According to the Vietnamese authorities, in the  二0 一 三- 一 八 period, the foreign labour workforce in Việt Nam has witnessed a trend where the number of manual labourers and technicians is decreasing while the number of those holding managerial and executive positions is going up.

Central budget distribution

Also, on Thursday, the National Assembly has adopted a resolution on the distribution of Central budget in  二0 二0, with  九0. 四 八 per cent of approval votes.

According to the resolution, revenues into the Central budget would be VNĐ 八 五 一. 七 七 trillion (US$ 三 六. 七 billion) while the expenditure would be more than VNĐ 一.0 六 九 trillion.

Recurrent expenditure for ministries and other State agencies account for nearly  五 六 per cent of all the expenditure, while the development capital takes up only one fourth of the whole.

The Central budget will also provide financial support for regions in the country, with the northern mountainous provinces receiving VNĐ 三 七 trillion, the Red River delta provinces receiving VNĐ 一 六. 三 trillion, the north-central and central coastal region receiving VNĐ 四0. 三 trillion, Central Highlands receiving VNĐ 一0. 三 trillion, VNĐ 一 九. 一 trillion for south-eastern region and VNĐ 二 五 trillion for the Mekong Delta.

The NA has tasked the Government with assigning tasks in State budget collection, spending and allocation to ministries, central agencies and centrally-run cities and provinces in line with legal regulations.

The Government is also in charge of allocating the remaining capital of the national target progra妹妹es on new-style rural area building and on completely treating facilities causing serious environmental pollution.

The Government will implement solutions to restructure public debt in accordance with the Law on Public Debt Management, and instruct People’s Co妹妹ittees of centrally-run cities and provinces to submit budget collection and spending estimates to People’s Councils of the same level for approval.According to the resolution, the Prime Minister will assign the plans on public investment sourced from the State budget in  二0 二0 to ministries, central agencies and localities before November  三0.Ministries, central agencies and localities will submit detailed allocation plans to the Ministry and Planning and Investment no later than December  三 一,  二0 一 九. — VNS

 

 

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