General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has signed a Resolution reviewing the development of Ho Chi Minh City and set out orientation plans and tasks for the City to meet targets for development and industrialization by 2020.
According to the Resolution, HCMC is a very special city, a great economic, cultural, education, training and communication hub and center for international integration.
The Party leadership emphasized the important role and position of HCMC, that it is not only an economic, cultural, educational hub but also a driving force for the nation’s development.
The City has made great contributions to the country, adding 20 percent towards the national GDP growth and 30 percent to the nation’s revenue.
HCMC plays the role of motivator, power base, charismatic and key economic region of the south, and also occupies an important political position in the country.
According to the Politburo, after more than 25 years of renewal, HCMC has recorded great comprehensive achievements, creating basic changes in social life and more importantly contributing to the common achievements of the region and the country.
Although occupying only 0.6 percent of land area and 8.56 percent of the national population, HCMC has generated 21.3 percent of the country’s GDP and 29.38 percent of total budget revenues. The City also accounted for 43.72 percent of the country’s tourism revenues and 27.9 percent of export turnover. Per capita income in HCMC is 2.4 times higher than the national level.
However, the City has its own difficulties, limitations and weaknesses. Economic growth is not commensurate with the position, role and potential of the City.
The internal structure of economic transition is slow, quality growth and competitiveness is not high in proportion, added value is still low, proportion of economic groups are small, and results of development cooperation with local authorities is limited.
Noteworthy is that the infrastructure is already weak, increasingly overwhelmed and inadequate, hindering the target of economic growth and improving of people's living standards. Planning and urban management has not kept pace with development. Traffic congestion, flooding, environmental pollution are still serious and worsening day by day.
Appreciating the City’s creativeness and dynamism, the Resolution encouraged the City to try new ideas to deal with newly-emerging issues during the development process.
The City will strive to bring per capita GDP to US$8,500 per year, basically fulfill the building of new rural areas, as well as improve transport infrastructure and healthcare services.
However, low growth and competitiveness, overloaded infrastructure and problems in urban planning and management are hindering the City’s sustainable development.
The Politburo supported the main content of the recommendations made by HCMC leaders, affording more autonomy for the City to grow, identify assignments to be done, link economic development with cultural development and assure better social welfare, social equality and justice.
In coming times, HCMC should focus on addressing infrastructure problems and improving the quality of human resources, the quality of growth and competitiveness, the Resolution dictates.
At the same time, the Resolution noted that HCMC should preserve and promote the national cultural identity and the local characteristics, narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, and ensure social security and safety.
For the City to be able to realize its development goals by 2020, the Politburo agreed to the City Party Committee’s proposal to allow full autonomy to the City to build and implement several pilot projects and create a model urban administration.
