On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2025), the reporter of Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper had an interview with Standing Vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Nguyen Thanh Nghi, on the city's glorious 50-year journey and the determination of the Party Committee and people of Ho Chi Minh City to continue writing new chapters of history and bringing the city to enter a new era of growth.
Paying tribute, arousing aspiration for building the country
According to Standing Vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thanh Nghi, April 30, 1975, is not just a historical milestone for Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular. Fifty years ago, the 1975 Spring Offensive and Uprising culminated in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, completed the liberation of the South, and led to the reunification of the country.
For Ho Chi Minh City, it marked the beginning of a journey of reconstruction and development, leading the nation into a new era, an era of independence, reunification, and building a successful socialist Vietnam — a nation characterized by wealth, strength, democracy, fairness, and civilization.
The 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification is a momentous historical and political event for the country, and especially for Ho Chi Minh City. It is an occasion to promote patriotic traditions, revolutionary heroism, and invaluable lessons in the ongoing journey of building, defending, and developing the city in response to the requirements of a new era of national growth. It is also an opportunity to honor and express deep gratitude to the generations who sacrificed their lives and made tremendous contributions to the cause of independence, peace, and national reunification, as well as the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and the 11th Congress of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee.
Over the past 50 years of building, protecting, and developing the city, the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and its people have consistently strived to overcome challenges with dynamism and creativity to achieve many significant accomplishments.
The city’s socioeconomic development has continued to advance steadily. Its economic scale has now reached approximately VND1.78 quadrillion. The living standards of citizens have continuously improved. Ho Chi Minh City experienced a significant increase in average annual income, rising from approximately US$65 at the time of liberation to US$7,758 by the end of 2024.
Social areas have been interested in while national defense, security, and public order have been firmly maintained. The dynamism, creativity, and achievements of Ho Chi Minh City affirm its role as the country’s leading locomotive across various fields, making significant contributions to the overall development of the country.
Ho Chi Minh City is well-prepared for the great celebration of the 50th anniversary of Southern Liberation and National Reunification. Key events include a grand rally, military parade, and mass procession, as well as special art programs, the implementation of infrastructure projects, and social security activities attracting residents and visitors.
The 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification not only reflects on the nation’s heroic historical traditions but also awakens the spirit of solidarity and the will to advance in the new phase of development, enabling the city to confidently step into the era of the nation's rise. All commemorative activities are centered around the people, expressing deep gratitude and honoring those who have served and made sacrifices for the country.
The celebration affirms the historical value of the long and arduous resistance for national liberation and reunification, which has become the foundation for the journey of building, protecting, and developing the city, leaving a deep impression on citizens and international friends.
Advancing into an era of prosperity
Ho Chi Minh City always prioritizes economic development alongside ensuring social security and environmental protection.
In recent years, the city has been interested in improving and enhancing the quality of life, living conditions, and income for its residents and implementing policies for poverty reduction and social security activities. As of present, Ho Chi Minh City has no more poor households in accordance with the national poverty standards.
The city has completed a comprehensive review to continue implementing policies for those with meritorious services to the country, repairing gratitude houses, caring for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, and ensuring individuals with meritorious services to the country and their families have an average standard of living and above.
On this commemorative occasion, Ho Chi Minh City has also focused on improving the material and spiritual well-being of the people. Recently, the city successfully completed the emulation movement to eradicate temporary and dilapidated houses, promptly addressed policies for those with meritorious services to the country, and renovated and upgraded martyrs’ cemeteries and memorial monuments, revolutionary historical sites, museums, and memorial houses.
The city has also strictly carried out the policy on reorganizing administrative units at all levels and establishing a two-tier local government structure as well as closely coordinating with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces to implement the rearrangement and merger of provincial administrative units.
The rearrangement and reorganization of the political system and administrative units will serve as a foundation and driving force for Ho Chi Minh City to advance toward becoming a global, smart, modern, dynamic, and well-integrated city. It aims to achieve green and sustainable growth, embodying the progressive values of Asia and the world, while making even greater contributions to the nation’s development.
The city’s leadership extends its deepest gratitude to the generations who sacrificed and devoted themselves to the cause of national independence, freedom, and reunification, and sincerely thanks the people of Ho Chi Minh City for their unity, dedication, and collective efforts in building a civilized, modern, and compassionate city. The city’s leadership hopes that the people of Ho Chi Minh City and the entire country will continue to join hands to develop the southern metropolis and the country to become more and more developed and prosperous.
During the 50-year journey of revolutionary development, Ho Chi Minh City has consistently promoted its revolutionary tradition, dynamism, and creativity while overcoming numerous difficulties and challenges to achieve goals and tasks, integrated economic growth with social progress and equity, and created a better living environment for the people. The city’s achievements are a foundation and a new driving force for its aspirations to rise.
The 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification will be an opportunity for Ho Chi Minh City to promote the responsibility for building a civilized, modern, and compassionate city, meeting the nation's expectations and confidently entering a new era of growth—the Era of the Nation's Rise—towards the goal of developing Vietnam into a high-income nation by 2045.
