HCMC to accelerate digital transformation for socio-economic growth

Ho Chi Minh City leaders announced the acceleration of digital transformation for socio-economic development.
Participants at the program

Participants at the program

The People's Council of Ho Chi Minh City coordinated with the Department of Information and Communications and the Ho Chi Minh City Television to organize a program called 'People Ask - Government Answer' in February, with the theme ‘Promoting socio-economic development and improving the investment environment.'

The program was chaired by Chairwoman of the municipal People's Council Nguyen Thi Le and Vice Chairman of the city People's Council Nguyen Van Dung.

Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment Le Thi Huynh Mai said that in addition to general policies, the southern metropolis has its own policies to support businesses in terms of legal support, trade and investment promotion, and connections amongst businesses. Particularly, the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Promotion Center last year organized more than 100 programs to support businesses.

Besides, the city has been building a close relationship between the government and businesses in addition to continued administrative reform and coordination with provinces in the Mekong Delta and the southern key economic region so that the city can provide raw materials immediately for business development.

In 2023, the southern largest city will focus on implementing 10 solutions including continued administrative reform and improvement of the efficiency of coordination between departments and agencies to promote socio-economic development.

Chairwoman of the municipal People's Council Nguyen Thi Le (yellow ao dai) at the program

Chairwoman of the municipal People's Council Nguyen Thi Le (yellow ao dai) at the program

At the same time, it will speed up digital transformation, promoting innovation and linking scientists in the country and abroad. Moreover, the city will periodically organize dialogues between authorities at all levels and organizations and enterprises to listen to enterprises’ opinions about bottlenecks; thus, responsible agencies can assist businesses to remove problems.

In addition, HCMC will strengthen investment promotion activities while removing obstacles with the utmost aim to support enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises.

According to Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, the southern economic hub has solutions and programs to connect supply and demand and develop the market.

At the same time, it will coordinate with related units to organize forums, and seminars, support businesses with information and connections to find export opportunities, as well as develop logistics to save costs in businesses.

In 2023, besides developing the domestic market, the Department of Industry and Trade will coordinate with related units to develop foreign markets. Along with that, Ho Chi Minh City will continue to promote trade promotion activities, and organizes many events, fairs and exhibitions, especially in export processing zones and industrial parks.

In order to create favorable conditions for businesses to access capital to boost production and business, Mr. Nguyen Duc Lenh, Deputy Director of the State Bank of Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City, said that in 2023, the banking sector will provide credit capital to support economic development, well control credit and potential risks.

In that basis, the bank has carried out a number of key tasks such as providing macroeconomic orientation to stabilize economic development. The central bank planned for a credit growth of 14-15 percent - a higher growth rate than in recent years to facilitate capital supply for the economy.

Leaders of HCMC agencies answer questions of residents and businesses at the program

Leaders of HCMC agencies answer questions of residents and businesses at the program

Regarding the development of social housing, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction Huynh Thanh Khiet said that despite many preferential policies, the development of social housing is still difficult due to cumbersome social housing project investment procedures plus long implementation; thus, investors showed their indifference.

The Department of Construction has advised the city People's Committee to issue the order and procedures for implementing social housing projects with the aim to shorten the time for construction investment procedures.

Besides, Ho Chi Minh City has also reviewed the land funds managed by the city to organize bidding, and select investors to build social apartment buildings. The city removed obstacles for projects and focused on directing departments to speed up investment procedures, helping the projects to start construction early. The southern metropolis strives to build 35,000 social apartments by the end of 2025.

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