Measuring policy results
Speaking to VietnamPlus on the sidelines of the session, Dương called for a more comprehensive set of indicators to support major development programs. The National Assembly was reviewing implementation of the 2026 socio-economic development plan and the proposed plan for 2027, which targets economic growth of at least 10%.
Dương, who represents Đồng Nai and serves on the assembly's Economic and Financial Committee, endorsed the government's assessment of 2026 and its proposed objectives and measures for 2027. She praised the timely, thorough preparation of the report amid an unpredictable global and regional economic and political environment. She also said it aligned with the 14th National Party Congress Resolution, Conclusion No. 18-KL/TW and National Assembly Resolution No. 25/2026/QH16.
She supported the government's longer-term approach to changing the growth model through sector restructuring, targeted investment, changes to state budget revenue and spending, and a stronger leading role for the central budget. But those policies also need indicators that allow their implementation to be monitored, she said.
Industrial investment and tourism returns
For industry, Dương proposed measuring average occupancy across operating industrial parks, occupancy in operating high-tech industrial parks, and investment attracted per hectare of industrial land available for lease. These measures would show how effectively land and infrastructure are being used and help local authorities assess proposals to expand existing parks or establish new ones, she said.
Vietnam is prioritizing large, high-tech foreign direct investment projects capable of leading value chains. Dương argued that measuring total realized investment as a share of GDP captures the amount of capital, but not how efficiently industrial land and infrastructure support investment, industrial development and participation in global value chains.
The proposed indicators come alongside a substantial increase in planned public investment. During the October 31 discussion, deputies noted that the government's budget proposal would raise development investment spending in 2027 by nearly 57% from the 2026 budget.
For tourism, Dương recommended tracking average revenue per international visitor and average length of stay, in addition to the 2027 goal of attracting 28-29 million international visitors. She said those measures would help assess spending, value added, tourism product development and competitiveness rather than relying on arrival numbers alone.
Housing completed versus housing occupied
Dương's housing proposals distinguish construction from delivery: one indicator would measure social and rental housing completions against the annual plan, while another would track the share of completed units handed over for use. She said both were needed for the National Assembly and government to oversee a major policy program.
The Government Portal reported on October 16 that the 2027 plan seeks to complete more than 176,000 social housing, rental housing and worker housing units by 2027.
Some finished projects remain slow to enter use, Dương said, because they are distant from workplaces, lack coordinated connecting infrastructure and social services, or face delays in approving eligible residents. Tracking handovers as well as construction would show whether households and workers actually obtain homes.
She also called for a housing-price-to-urban-household-income ratio to measure affordability, especially for middle- and low-income earners. She linked it to preferential mechanisms for developing affordable commercial housing and widening access to homes. The measure is widely used by countries and international organizations, she said, and completing real estate databases and electronic identification codes would make it easier to compile and publish.
Tracking clean energy and greener industry
For environmental and climate adaptation goals, Dương proposed tracking eco-industrial parks as a share of all operating industrial parks, along with the proportion of parks using renewable or green energy. She said these would give a clearer picture of progress toward sustainable development goals.
She also recommended measuring the share of total electricity output generated from renewable and clean sources, as well as the capacity of renewable and clean energy projects brought into operation each year.
The government's report emphasizes renewable and new energy, storage and modern power grids as part of the effort to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. It also addresses keeping energy projects on schedule and developing a national energy reserve strategy. Dương said specific indicators would allow Vietnam to monitor energy security and the green transition in line with its international commitments.
She linked those measures to investment and exports. Major export markets are increasingly imposing green standards and carbon border adjustment mechanisms, while multinational companies and strategic investors favor locations with clean energy, she said. In her assessment, the proposed indicators would help improve the investment environment, attract selective foreign direct investment and strengthen the competitiveness of Vietnamese exports.
The broader 2027 targets
The proposed plan already contains 45 key targets agreed by the Party Central Committee: 22 economic, 14 socio-cultural and nine covering the environment and climate change adaptation. Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc reported that framework on October 16, according to the Government Portal.
Presenting the plan to the National Assembly on October 17, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung set out goals including GDP per capita of $6,100, average consumer price inflation of around 4.5% and average social labor productivity growth of 8.6%. The plan also calls for a reduction of 1-1.5 percentage points in the multidimensional poverty rate and a 9.1% increase in state budget revenue.
Other targets agreed by the Central Committee and reported on October 16 include 14% growth in total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue, a 15% rise in exports and a 12% rise in imports. Total social investment is targeted at 36-38% of GDP.
For 2026, the government expected 14 of 15 key socio-economic targets to be met or exceeded. GDP grew 9.95% year over year in the third quarter and 9.01% over the first nine months. Reaching the annual growth target of 10% would require approximately 12.5% growth in the fourth quarter.
According to VCCI's report on the session, the National Assembly is expected to vote on the resolution for the 2027 socio-economic development plan on November 7, 2026.
