This morning, the Government held a nationwide online conference with local authorities to review 2025 results and outline 2026 objectives. General Secretary To Lam chaired the conference.
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, Nguyen Van Duoc, stated that in 2026, the city is committed to taking stronger and more effective actions to make a worthy contribution to the country’s goals of rapid and sustainable growth.
Speaking at the event, Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc said 2025 was a “test year” for Ho Chi Minh City. According to him, the city’s economy maintained steady growth, with each quarter outperforming the previous one. The city’s Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) grew by an estimated 8.03 percent for the year, and per capita GRDP reached US$8,755.
He added that the investment environment continued to improve, with around 60,000 new businesses established. Ho Chi Minh City attracted over US$8.2 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), an increase of 21.8 percent year-on-year. State budget revenue exceeded VND802 trillion, surpassing the central target by more than 20 percent.
Regarding administrative organization, Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc noted that the city has implemented structural reforms in a disciplined and systematic way. The two-tier local government model is now operating increasingly smoothly and efficiently.
Infrastructure investment, the resolution of delayed projects, and administrative reform have all been accelerated, emphasizing clear responsibilities and measurable outcomes, he said. Social, cultural, welfare, defense, security, and diplomatic fields have also remained stable and strong.
Highlighting 2026 as a pivotal year that will lay the foundation for the 2026–2030 period, the HCMC Chairman emphasized that the city faces heavy workloads and high expectations, leaving no room for complacency or delays.
For 2026, Ho Chi Minh City targets GRDP growth of over 10 percent. The city has designated 2026 as “The Year of Organizational Excellence – Institutional Reform – Infrastructure Breakthrough – Service Efficiency.”
Key priorities include successfully organizing the elections for the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term.
He also stressed the need to promptly translate Party Congress resolutions into specific five-year plans and achieve double-digit growth targets.
The chairman revealed that the city will vigorously unlock all development resources, reform urban management, and effectively implement special mechanisms to attract strategic investors.
Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc believed with tradition of dynamism, creativity, and accountability, Ho Chi Minh City pledges to act more decisively and effectively, contributing worthily to the nation’s goals of rapid and sustainable growth.
More importantly, Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc affirmed that the city will restructure its economy, prioritizing science, technology, innovation, and the digital economy as key drivers; building a government that is constructive, transparent, action-oriented, and service-focused placing citizens and businesses at its center.
At the same time, he added, Ho Chi Minh City will invest in infrastructure, finalize its new master plan, and reorganize urban development into a multi-centered, integrated model. The city will focus on addressing persistent challenges such as flooding, traffic congestion, and environmental pollution, and aim to make Ho Chi Minh City a drug-free city.
The city will continue promoting culture and human development, ensuring social welfare, and improving education and healthcare quality, especially ahead of the 2026 Lunar New Year, he said. Additionally, it will strengthen foreign relations, enhance international integration, and maintain defense, security, and social order in all circumstances.
From practical implementation experience, Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc proposed that the Government adopt stronger policies to resolve long-standing project bottlenecks and unlock resources for socio-economic development.
He also called for deeper decentralization and delegation of authority, particularly to local governments.
President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man, Permanent Member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Cam Tu; members of the Politburo, members of the Secretariat, Party Central Committee members, and leaders of various departments and ministries attended at the conference in Hanoi-based venue.
Meanwhile, Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee; Vo Van Minh, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council attended the conference in Ho Chi Minh City.
In 2025, the National Assembly issued Resolution 222/2025/QH15 regarding the International Financial Center in Vietnam, along with Resolution 260/2025/QH15, which amends and supplements certain provisions of Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15 concerning the pilot implementation of specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City. The Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City stated that immediately after the issuance of these two resolutions, the city has translated them into actionable decisions to ensure prompt implementation.
