HCM City earns place as nation’s economic spearhead
Ho Chi Minh City has achieved sustainable growth despite numerous difficulties and challenges in the past 35 years since the Southern Liberation in 1975, said the city’s major Hoang Binh Quan.
Mr Quan highlighted HCM City’s remarkable achievements after the Liberation of South Vietnam in an interview granted to a VOV reporter.
Reporter: What are the most significant achievements recorded by HCM City since liberation?
Mr Quan: The city has made a great deal of effort to overcome difficulties and has gradually maintained sustainable economic growth, political stability and security, creating a firm foundation for the city to develop steadily.
The city has successfully fulfilled its socio-economic development plan for many years, with an annual GDP growth rate reaching 10-12 percent. The city has also made great contributions to the country’s total industrial value (1/3), export revenue (1/3) and GDP (1/4).
HCM City has also experienced considerable improvements in infrastructure development, urban development, education and training, and science and technology, thus increasing people’s living standards.
The city nowadays has a new facelift and has become the southern region’s economic hub, earning its place as an economic spearhead of the country.
Reporter: How can HCM City fully tap its potential as the country’s economic spearhead?
Mr Quan: The city has shifted its economic structure in order to make full use of its advantages, and has considered this as a key point in its socio-economic development plan designed at the 10th National Party Congress and the 8th municipal Party Congress (2006-2010). Accordingly, the city has focused on high-quality services and developed traditional industrial sectors with the aim of promoting knowledge-based industries that have high added value. It has paid due attention to applying bio-technology and developing high-technology industrial zones and building new urban and residential areas.
Reporter: Could you point out some issues that HCM City needs to resolve in the future?
Mr Quan: Apart from its significant achievements, the city is facing many challenges caused by over population that may lead to an inadequate supply of accommodation, transport, education and healthcare services. The municipal authorities are seeking out effective measures to resolve this issue.
Reporter: What are HCM City’s key tasks in the near future to achieve its set goals in the current process of national industrialisation and modernisation?
Mr Quan: Resolution 20 of the Party Politburo states that the municipal authorities and people must mobilise all resources to develop HCM City into a modern and civilised city. To realise this target, the city will increase the leadership role of the Party and raise the responsibility of authorities, agencies and sectors to encourage the participation of all economic sectors in socio-economic development in a sustainable manner. The city will boost emulation movements, consolidate the bloc of great national unity and enhance external relations for deeper international integration. It will also shift its economic structure, with a focus on developing the agricultural, industrial and service sectors, as well as improving people’s living conditions and protecting the environment in order to create better conditions for rapid and sustainable development, political stability, and social order and safety.
Reporter: Thank you.