Prime Minister: Banking activities must be breakthrough but consistent with the target

Speaking at the conference, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh acknowledged and commended the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) and the banking sector for their important and positive contributions to the overall results and achievements of the country in 2025 and the entire 2021-2025 term.

According to the Prime Minister, the situation in recent times has changed very quickly and unpredictably, many issues have exceeded forecasts, affecting the overall development of the world, including Vietnam; we always identify difficulties and challenges more than opportunities and advantages to prepare for response, especially flexibility in policy management and development orientation of the country.

In addition to the basic results achieved, the Prime Minister agreed with the limitations, inadequacies and difficulties pointed out by the conference such as risks related to technology, markets and investments of banks; exchange rates and gold markets still face many difficulties; some credit institutions are weak; credit activities in some areas still have potential risks. Digital transformation is developing rapidly but facing many difficulties and challenges, especially crimes in the fields of high technology, electronic payments; shortage of highly qualified human resources, especially information technology... The pressure to operate monetary policy is increasing, especially in terms of inflation, exchange rates, interest rates, and pressure from the outside. Early warning is still limited.

Changing policies and changing status must have appropriate steps, roadmaps and solutions

The Prime Minister also emphasized some lessons learned: Must be very calm, maintain courage in the face of unpredictable fluctuations, difficulties and challenges that can come at any time; changing policies and changing the state must have appropriate steps, roadmaps and solutions, take-off must be breakthrough, accelerate to fly long distances, land must be soft, flexible, skillful and safe; operate policies proactively, flexibly, promptly, appropriately and effectively, coordinate synchronously with other policies.

2026 is an important year, the 14th National Party Congress, the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and the 5-year Plan for 2026-2030; The Prime Minister stated that the banking sector must contribute to controlling inflation, stabilizing the macro economy, promoting double-digit growth, ensuring major balances of the economy, improving the material and spiritual life of the people; aiming to successfully implement the two 100-year strategic goals.

The State Bank must pay special attention to proactive, flexible, timely, and effective policy management, closely and synchronously coordinating with other policies to have a resonant impact and effectiveness. Higher determination, greater efforts, more drastic actions, more efficiency, more focus, key points, work for work, work for work; assign 6 clear: Clear people, clear work, clear time, clear authority, clear responsibility, clear results.

The Prime Minister basically agreed with the key tasks and solutions in 2026 of the banking sector as in the report of the SBV and the opinions of the delegates; at the same time, emphasized 8 key contents.

Accordingly, focus on implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Congress, resolutions and conclusions of the Politburo, the Secretariat, the National Assembly, the Government, and the direction of the Prime Minister. Create stronger institutional breakthroughs and administrative reform in the monetary and banking sectors, meeting the development requirements of the country. Effectively manage banking operations in international financial centers in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang (especially foreign exchange and cross-border cash flow management).

All activities of the bank must be innovative, must be breakthrough but must contribute to the consistent implementation of the goal of maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, promoting growth, ensuring major balances of the economy, controlling deficit, public debt, government debt, and foreign debt. This is the most important goal and task of the SBV and the banking industry in 2026 and the coming time.

Along with that, strongly promote growth and investment (investment in quality, investment in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, etc.), implement the strategic resolutions of the Politburo. Research mechanisms and policies to more strongly mobilize resources among the people.

At the same time, ensure the safety of the monetary, credit and banking systems. Operate a suitable credit room, based on the rating of each bank, with strict bonuses. Risk control must comply with international practices, using market tools. Note to strictly control credit for areas with potential risks, ensure credit quality; increase early warnings, have appropriate and timely solutions to ensure the safety of each credit institution and the entire banking system, proactively and effectively handle arising problems.

The Prime Minister also suggested that the banking sector promote the development of science and technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. Ensuring security and safety in the context of increasingly sophisticated high-tech crimes and building a correct, sufficient, clean, and living database. Contributing to the effective implementation of social security policies, doing better, doing the right thing, doing well and organizing well.

The Prime Minister noted that it is necessary to continue to overcome the consequences, restructure weak credit institutions and prevent them from recurring; study the best solutions for SCB Bank in the direction of focusing on asset recovery and restructuring; ensure publicity and transparency in implementing Party regulations and State laws. Strengthen internal control in banks in the spirit of "prevention is better than treatment".

The banking and NBSP sectors need to continue to do a good job in all aspects of internal work. Continue to focus on arranging and perfecting the organizational apparatus; promote digital transformation; increase training of high-quality human resources, build a team of banking industry officials "talented, virtuous, dedicated, capable, and powerful", always innovate because " resources originate from thinking and vision, motivation originate from innovation and creativity, strength originates from people and businesses".

Stating that the banking sector is a difficult but difficult field that must be overcome, the Prime Minister hopes that with the motto "seeing far, looking wide, thinking deeply, doing big" and the spirit of " proactive, flexible, creative, effective", the banking sector will continue to promote its pioneering role, especially in the application of science and technology, digital transformation, smart governance, strive more, achieving higher results in 2026 than in 2025.

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