Hanoi marks 25 years as "City for Peace"
Twenty-five years since UNESCO bestowed upon Hanoi the title of "City for Peace", the capital has undergone continuous developments, achieving notable successes and affirming itself as the nation’s major centre for administration, politics, economy, and culture.
To be among the five cities worldwide earning the recognition in 1999, Hanoi met several criteria. It demonstrated outstanding achievements in improving people's lives, promoting social unity, developing culture and education, and addressing urbanisation and ecological issues, among many others.
Economically, despite expanding in size and population over the past 25 years, Hanoi has maintained its role as one of Vietnam's economic powerhouses, significantly contributing to the country's overall growth. The municipal Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) grew by 6.27% in 2023, surpassing the national growth rate by 1.24 times. Its average per capita income reached VND141.8 million (US$5,672) in 2022, 1.45 times higher than the national average.
Despite occupying only 1% of the national territory and housing 8% of the Vietnamese population, the capital contributes 12.6% to the national GRDP, 17.1% to the state budget revenue, and 4.6% to the country’s export turnover. It is one of the two cities in Vietnam recently listed by the commercial real estate brokerage firm Savills among the 15 fastest-developing ones globally by 2033.
Hanoi also consistently ranks among the top in the nation for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). The city lured over US$2.94 billion in FDI last year, up 70.5% from 2022. Annually, foreign-invested enterprises contribute approximately 10% to the city’s budget revenue and 11% to its overall social investment capital, while employing 11% of the local workforce.
Meanwhile, it served a total of 24 million tourists in 2023, rising by 27% year-on-year. Of the total arrivals, there were 4 million foreigners. Revenue from tourism activities, therefore, stood at VND87.65 trillion, an annual growth of 45.5%.
Alongside economic growth, the city places a significant emphasis on social welfare and improving people's lives. By the end of last year, its poverty rate was brought to 0.03%, and health insurance coverage reached 94.33% of the population. The local cultural, educational, scientific, and technological sectors continue to flourish, while urban management and environmental sanitation are well-maintained with a focus on utilising information technology and creating favourable conditions for big data and smart city initiatives.
Given its pivotal position, the capital city always prioritises national defence and security, ensuring public order and safety for central government agencies, major political and cultural events, and activities and visits by foreign heads of state. Notably, Hanoi has successfully hosted numerous major international events, including the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in 2004, the 14th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in 2006, the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU-132) in 2015, the second summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the US in 2019, and the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2022. The successful organisation of these events not only underscores the capital’s and Vietnam's capability to meet material and security requirements for large-scale activities but also enhances the country’s reputation and stature on the global stage.
