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Rising to the Challenge: Ho Chi Minh City’s Spirit of ‘Six Pioneering’ I hope this revised title meets your expectations and captures the essence of what you aim to convey. Let me know if there are any adjustments or refinements you would like, or if you would like me to elaborate on this concept with additional content.

11 August, 2024

On the morning of August 10, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, head of the Steering Committee for the Implementation of Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly on piloting several mechanisms and policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City, and his entourage worked with Ho Chi Minh City on the city’s socio-economic development results and the implementation of Resolution 98.

At the conference, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Phan Van Mai reported on the socio-economic development situation and results. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung reported on the implementation of Resolution 98 of the National Assembly.

POSITIVE RESULTS

Resolution 98 stipulates a pilot of six groups of special mechanisms and policies for the development of Ho Chi Minh City in (i) investment management; (ii) state financial and budgetary management; (iii) urban, natural resource, and environmental management; (iv) priority sectors and industries to attract strategic investors to the city; (v) management of science, technology, and innovation; and (vi) organization of the city’s government and Thu Duc city.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh works with Ho Chi Minh City on socio-economic development results and the implementation of Resolution 98. Photo: VGP

Regarding the specific results of the implementation of Resolution 98, the reports and opinions at the meeting showed that up to now, the government has issued 3 out of 4 decrees, and the Prime Minister has issued one decision. The ministries and agencies continue to actively implement the four regular tasks that have been assigned.

Regarding the tasks under the authority of Ho Chi Minh City, the City Council has issued 31 resolutions for implementation. The People’s Committee of the city has completed 13 out of 25 tasks and issued 24 decisions to deploy the contents related to Resolution 98.

In the field of investment management, in 2023-2024, a priority was given to allocating VND 3,794 billion for the poverty reduction program for 52,000 customers; allocating VND 1,500 billion in investment capital to support interest rates for priority projects to promote socio-economic development; allocating VND 2,900 billion for the Ho Chi Minh City – Moc Bai highway project; and issuing a list of projects calling for investment in the form of public-private partnerships in the field of culture and sports with 23 projects (total investment of VND 22,394 billion).

In the field of state financial and budgetary management, the subjects eligible for the policy of increasing income and creating motivation for the team of civil servants and employees have been supplemented, given the high population density and diverse and complex socio-economic activities in Ho Chi Minh City.

In the field of science, technology, and innovation management, the policy on salaries, wages, benefits, and rewards for the implementation of science and technology tasks has been effective, initially attracting dossiers for registration to perform science and technology tasks.

The organizational apparatus continues to be consolidated and perfected with the establishment of the city’s Food Safety Management Board; the addition of one Vice Chairman of the People’s Council and one Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee; the completion of the apparatus of Thu Duc city, one Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee for three districts (Can Gio, Nha Be, and Hoc Mon); and 51/52 Vice Chairmen of the People’s Committees for 51/52 wards, communes, and towns with a population of 50,000 or more.

Regarding socio-economic development, the GRDP of the city in the first six months of 2024 increased by 6.46%, higher than the same period in 2023 (3.55%). In seven months, the consumer price index (CPI) was well controlled, increasing by 3.29%, lower than the same period and the national average.

Total retail sales of goods reached VND 661,000 billion, up 10.3% over the same period. Total tourism revenue is estimated at VND 108,000 billion, up 15.4% over the same period, reaching 67.5% of the plan.

FDI attraction reached US$1.545 billion; credit balance increased by 11.8%; state budget revenue reached over VND 308,000 billion, reaching 63.94% of the estimate, up 13.96% over the same period. The city is speeding up the progress of key projects such as the Ring Road 3 Project and the An Phu Traffic Project in Thu Duc. Digital transformation and the implementation of Project 06 have been promoted. The fields of culture and society are given attention. Politics and society are stable, and social order and safety are ensured.

RESOLUTION 98 CREATES CONDITIONS AND FOUNDATIONS FOR THE RAPID, STRONG, AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF HO CHI MINH CITY

Concluding the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong always cared about the development of Ho Chi Minh City. General Secretary and President To Lam also paid great attention and planned to work with the city in the near future.

Further analyzing the position, role, and potential advantages of Ho Chi Minh City, the Prime Minister stated that Ho Chi Minh City is the country’s leading economic and financial center and the nucleus of the key southern economic region, accounting for about 17% of the country’s GDP (according to the General Statistics Office, if Ho Chi Minh City’s GRDP grows by 1%, the country’s GDP will increase by 0.18%), and the state budget revenue accounts for over 27% of the country.

Ho Chi Minh City is also a pioneer locality in deploying new models for development, such as export processing zones and industrial parks; the Securities Exchange, the banking system, and investment funds; software parks and high-tech parks. These innovative models have made an important contribution to the city’s very strong breakthrough in economic, social development, and international integration.

Regarding the implementation of Resolution 98, the Prime Minister evaluated that looking back on the past year, the implementation of the Resolution has brought about very basic and positive initial results, creating favorable conditions and foundations for the rapid, strong, and sustainable development of Ho Chi Minh City.

Regarding the socio-economic development situation, on behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister praised and recognized the efforts of the Party Committee, authorities, army, and people of Ho Chi Minh City, which have achieved many important results, contributing to the country’s overall achievements in the first seven months of 2024.

Along with the achievements, the Prime Minister also pointed out some limitations and shortcomings. In implementing Resolution 98, the coordination between ministries, branches, and Ho Chi Minh City is sometimes lacking initiative, closeness, and flexibility.

Along with that, Ho Chi Minh City needs to make more efforts in exploiting potentials and advantages, developing infrastructure, disbursing investment capital, reforming administrative procedures, and removing difficulties for production and business of enterprises, ensuring the people’s needs for hospitals, schools, housing, and social welfare system.

In particular, the Prime Minister expects Ho Chi Minh City to contribute more actively with the central agencies to remove difficulties and obstacles in institutions, including amending the Law on Public Investment.

Regarding lessons learned, the Prime Minister said that it is necessary to continue promoting the spirit of “not saying no, not saying difficult, not saying yes but not doing”; strengthening administrative discipline and discipline; promoting the sense of responsibility of the leaders; not letting the situation of avoidance, pushing, and shirking of responsibility; and protecting officials who dare to think, dare to do for the common interest.

PROMOTE THE SPIRIT OF “SIX PIONEERING”

Regarding the work in the coming time to implement Resolution 98, the Prime Minister emphasized that “thought is ripe, ideology is clear, mechanism is available, and the flag is in hand,” there must be higher determination, greater efforts, and more drastic actions, “only discussing how to do, not discussing how to retreat”, working more focused and drastically, doing one thing at a time to get motivation and inspiration for the next work, promoting the spirit of attack and encouraging and protecting those who dare to think, dare to do, dare to innovate and break through for the common interest.

Regarding solutions and key tasks, the Prime Minister requested Ho Chi Minh City to have higher determination, greater efforts, more drastic actions, and promote the effectiveness of special mechanisms and policies with the spirit of six “pioneering”

First, pioneering in renewing the thinking of comprehensive, holistic, inclusive, effective, and sustainable development, taking the people and businesses as the center and the subject.

Second, pioneering in digital transformation and the development of a smart city, green development, circular economy, knowledge-based economy, and sharing economy.

Third, pioneering in developing and applying science and technology, promoting startups, innovation, and creativity.

Fourth, pioneering in developing high value-added service industries.

Fifth, pioneering in developing high-quality human resources and leading experts in key fields.

Sixth, pioneering in implementing social policies, social security, not sacrificing progress, social equality, and the environment for pure growth, and leaving no one behind.

Regarding specific tasks, the Prime Minister requested to continue to propagate and concretize Resolution 24 of the Politburo on socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security in the Southeast region, Resolution 31 of the Politburo on the direction and tasks for developing Ho Chi Minh City until 2030, Resolution 131 of the National Assembly on the model of urban administration of Ho Chi Minh City, and Resolution 98 of the National Assembly, successfully completing the goals and tasks set for 2024, striving for the city’s economic growth rate to reach 7.5-8% for the whole year.

At the same time, establish a specialized group to immediately remove problems and obstacles. Strongly promote the role of the leading economic center of the country; synchronously deploy solutions to stimulate the economy and boost investment and consumption demand; control prices, and prevent smuggling and trade fraud.

Improve the efficiency of management, use, and promote the disbursement of public investment capital, focusing on large and key projects. Timely solve difficulties and obstacles, create the most favorable conditions for people and businesses in production and business activities; drastically improve the business investment environment; and promote startups, innovation, and creativity.

Promote administrative procedure reform, increase decentralization and delegation in handling work; improve the Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI). Promote national digital transformation, build a smart city, Project 06, and strengthen the deployment of online public services on the National Public Service Portal.

The Prime Minister requested that socio-economic development goes hand in hand with the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values and environmental protection. Well solve social issues; effectively implement social security policies, and solve employment issues. Continue to improve the quality of education and training; focus on forming leading education and training centers in the country, region, and internationally.

Ensure national defense and security, maintain political security, social order, and safety; create favorable conditions and environment for socio-economic development. Pay attention to Party building and building a clean and strong political system, improve the leadership and fighting capacity of Party organizations and members. Focus on building a streamlined and effective apparatus, building a contingent of cadres with good qualities and abilities, especially the leaders, restructuring and improving the quality of civil servants and public employees.

The Prime Minister hopes and believes that: “With the important role as the “nucleus and growth pole of the region”, as a “civilized, modern, dynamic and creative city”, as the “economic, financial, commercial, scientific and technological center, and innovation of the country”, Ho Chi Minh City will successfully complete the tasks of 2024 and the set goals.