Provisions for Ho Chi Minh City to enter the era of national growth

At the seminar “What should Ho Chi Minh City do to enter the era of national development” on November 27, experts proposed many solutions for Ho Chi Minh City to promote its leading role, overcome challenges and orient sustainable development, pioneering in the new era.

From the era of liberation to the era of integration

The seminar "What should Ho Chi Minh City do to enter the era of national development" was attended by many leaders, former leaders of the Central and Ho Chi Minh City, experts and scientists. Among them were Mr. Pham Chanh Truc, former Deputy Head of the Central Economic Committee, former Standing Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, former Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council; Dr. Tran Du Lich, economic expert; Associate Professor, Dr. Truong Thi Hien, former Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Academy of Officials; Associate Professor, Dr. Vuong Duc Hoang Quan, Chairman of the Board of Ton Duc Thang University; Dr. Truong Minh Huy Vu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies...

Hành trang để Tp.HCM bước vào kỷ nguyên vươn mình của dân tộc- Ảnh 1. — *The panel of moderators at the discussion "What should Ho Chi Minh City do to enter the era of national growth?"*

Speaking at the seminar "What should Ho Chi Minh City do to enter the era of national rise", Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Tan Phat, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Academy of Officials, said that Ho Chi Minh City needs to establish appropriate goals, tasks and solutions for sustainable development in accordance with the direction that General Secretary To Lam has pointed out important orientations in the "New era of development, the era of rise of the Vietnamese nation". These guidelines are the compass for localities, especially Ho Chi Minh City.

Sharing at the discussion, Dr. Tran Du Lich, Chairman of the Advisory Council for the implementation of Resolution 98, proposed 3 basic factors that Ho Chi Minh City needs to focus on, including: Institutional competition, Ho Chi Minh City must build an advanced urban government system, with separate laws for special urban areas; Focus on training and developing high-quality labor resources to meet the needs of industrialization and digital transformation; Synchronously invest in transport infrastructure, complete belt and metro routes, and create new urban development spaces.

Hành trang để Tp.HCM bước vào kỷ nguyên vươn mình của dân tộc- Ảnh 2. — *Dr. Tran Du Lich spoke at the seminar "What should Ho Chi Minh City do to enter the era of national growth" on November 27.*

In the new era, Dr. Tran Du Lich believes that Ho Chi Minh City needs to become a “regional startup” with the goal of becoming a destination for Asia and the world. To realize this, the Ho Chi Minh City government must create a favorable environment for green economic development and digital transformation. At the same time, he emphasized that Ho Chi Minh City must build a modern public transport system, reduce personal vehicles and thoroughly handle environmental pollution. Housing improvements, especially for low-income people, also need to be promoted. He emphasized that in the next 5 years, Ho Chi Minh City's economic growth rate must be 1.2-1.5% higher than the national average.

10 years of decision: Now or never

Ho Chi Minh City cannot develop strongly without regional connectivity. According to experts, the city needs to actively participate in building economic corridors, focusing on connecting traffic and closely cooperating with provinces in the Southern Key Economic Zone. In addition, developing a green economy, green transportation, and moving towards Net Zero are urgent tasks, not only helping to improve the environment but also enhancing the competitiveness of Ho Chi Minh City. Along with the economy, Dr. Lich emphasized the need to pay attention to developing culture, sports, and urban beautification. For example, implementing the Rach Chiec Sports Center project or renovating residential areas around the metro line will contribute to building modern living spaces and connecting the community.

Regarding the sidewalk economy, he proposed reorganizing it for effective exploitation, while building underground parking lots and developing underground space - a resource that is being wasted. Dr. Tran Du Lich commented that the 2026-2035 period will be decisive for Ho Chi Minh City, in demonstrating its role as a driving force of the whole country. If there are no breakthroughs in the next 10 years, Ho Chi Minh City may miss an important opportunity to overcome the middle-income trap and become a developed industrial center. "The era of rising up is not only about integration, but also about taking the lead," Mr. Lich emphasized. Ho Chi Minh City needs to become a startup place in the region, a destination for international investors and a model of sustainable development, harmoniously combining economy, culture and society.