Over 100 reports were presented at the seminar which discussed Ho Chi Minh City’s development over the last 40 years.
The event is in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Southern Liberation and National Reunification Day (April 30).
Speaking at the opening of the seminar, Secretary of HCMC municipal Party Committee Le Thanh Hai affirmed that the seminar aimed to review HCMC construction and development results and clarify objectives and tasks for further development during the national industrialisation and modernisation processes.Over 100 presentations at the workshop highlighted the city’s achievements as well as fundamental changes in the community that contributed significantly to the overall development of the nation. Presentations also pointed out lessons learnt in promoting the strength of national unity, military art of conducting people's wars, and evaluating limitations and weaknesses in related areas to propose solutions to develop a modern and civilised city.
According to Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan, the city’s economic potential over the past 40 years has constantly grown with economic growth being maintained at a high rate for a long time, along with economic restructuring in the right direction. The city’s total gross domestic product reached over US$40 billion in 2014, up 7.5 times in comparison with that in 2000.
By the end of 2014, the city had 140,000 businesses, over 250 individual business households, and over FDI 5,331 projects with a total investment of more than US$36.6 billion.
The city targets to raise GDP per capita to US$5,538 a year by this year-end, five times higher compared to 2000.
Former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai said that significant achievements over the last 40 years have affirmed the city’s leading role in national economic growth. He also noted that there should be strong determination to attain sustainable development for the city, particularly in urban management, infrastructure development and improvement of people's livelihood.
Head of the Party Central Committee's Economic Commission Vuong Dinh Hue suggested HCMC develop a growth model based on enhancing productivity, quality and competitiveness, while promoting R&D activities and industrial production restructuring by increasing levels of science-technology and the share of domestic value-added.
The city should actively research and propose to the government appropriate policies and mechanisms towards decentralisation and increased autonomy for HCM especially on the budget allocation issue, Hue said.
