The workshop was chaired by Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc and Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc emphasized that the Government’s approval for the city to develop the draft Law on Special Urban Areas presents a major opportunity, creating favorable conditions and a robust institutional framework for Ho Chi Minh City to achieve faster and more sustainable development and to attain double-digit growth.
According to the chairman of the city, gathering and consulting opinions from corporations, enterprises, and industry associations is essential, as these stakeholders play a significant role in the development of both the country and the city in line with the spirit of Resolution 68 issued by the Politburo of Vietnam.
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc recalled the city’s long-standing tradition of dynamism, innovation, and creativity. That resilience was demonstrated through consecutive terms during which the city maintained double-digit growth rates, including 12.6 percent in the 1991-1995 period; 10.11 percent in 1996-2000; 10.99 percent in 2001-2005; and 11.18 percent in 2006-2010. However, over the past three terms, the city’s economy has shown signs of slowing down and has not achieved the targeted double-digit growth.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, since 2025, the city’s economic growth has shown positive signs, reaching 8.03 percent, while growth in the first quarter of 2026 alone stood at 8.57 percent. These outcomes, he noted, were made possible thanks to the Government’s close attention and direction through special mechanisms and policies, including Resolution 98, Resolution 260, and Resolution 188.
However, the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee candidly acknowledged that the existing special mechanisms and policies remain time-bound and have yet to provide a strong and lasting sense of confidence for the business community. In the context of the Politburo of Vietnam recently issuing Resolution 09 on the development of Ho Chi Minh City in the new era, the formulation of the Law on Special Urban Areas is regarded as a fundamental and long-term solution.
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc stated that the guiding principle in drafting the Law on Special Urban Areas is to fully inherit the effective special mechanisms and policies currently in place for the city, while also drawing on provisions from the Capital Law. In addition, the city needs to boldly propose new and breakthrough measures to serve its broader development goals.
Based on this orientation, Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc called on businesses and experts to contribute their intellect and practical experience by proposing innovative ideas and boldly recommending breakthrough solutions, including proposals that may go beyond the scope of existing regulations. Through these efforts, the city aims to establish a solid legal and institutional framework to enable Ho Chi Minh City to achieve rapid and sustainable development and emerge as an internationally recognized megacity.
Once these mechanisms are institutionalized into law, they will become more stable and sustainable, thereby strengthening confidence and creating a more secure investment environment in which businesses can feel reassured about making long-term investments. This, in turn, will help both the city and the country achieve double-digit growth in line with the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and the directives of the General Secretary and President for Ho Chi Minh City, he affirmed.
