The congress was also attended by many Party and State leaders, revolutionary war veterans, heroic mothers, the armed forces, labour heroes and 821 collectives and individuals representing exemplary role models in the patriotic emulation movement over the past five years.

The movement, for the past five years, people in HCM City have spared no effort to boost socio-economic development. The city’s average GDP growth rate has reached 11 percent while the GDP per capita income is US$2,800 double 2005’s figure.

The city’s economic restructuring has also helped. In late 2009, services accounted for 55.4 percent of the local economy while industry and construction made up 43.4 percent.  Total social investments hit VND 598,000 billion, treble the level recorded in the 2001-2005 period. The city also attracted more than 2,100 FDI projects with a total investment capital of US$19.5 billion.

Job generation is also a major issue. Over the past five years, the city has created 589,000 new jobs.

The city’s trade unions have also responded to the emulation movements and have completed 15,000 new projects.

By late 2008, the city reached its target for poor households, two year earlier than the target set by the 8^th municipal Party Congress.

Because of the results, HCM City was awarded the Gold Star Order by the Party and the State.