Hanoi should strive to become Vietnam’s political, cultural, and economic centre and take the lead in the country’s industrialisation and modernisation process, said Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Phu Trong at the 15th Congress of the Hanoi Municipal Party Committee, which opened on October 26.
The congress was attended by former Party General Secretaries Do Muoi and Le Kha Phieu, former State Presidents Le Duc Anh and Tran Duc Luong, former NA Chairman Nguyen Van An, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee (VFFCC) Huynh Dam, VFFCC former Chairman Pham The Duyet, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, NA Vice Chairmen, deputy Prime Ministers, and other Party and State senior officials.
Addressing the congress, Pham Quang Nghi, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, said Hanoi should uphold the city’s 1,000 year tradition, strengthen unity, and improve the Party Committee’s leadership in order to speed up the renewal process and build a wealthy and civilised city.
The congress is responsible for setting a target to boost socio-economic development in the 2011-2015 period, said Mr. Nghi.
According to a political report presented at the congress by Nguyen The Thao, Chairman of Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee, the Hanoi Party and people have combined efforts to overcome difficulties and gain significant achievements in various fields. Annual GDP growth is estimated at 10.4 percent and per capita annual income reached nearly US$2,000 (about VND38 million).
The city’s political system at all levels was reinforced and its status was also improved, said the report.
The congress also set a target to speed up administrative reforms, upgrade infrastructure, and ensure an year-on-year GDP growth rate of 12-13 percent. According to the report, poverty is expected to fall by 1.5-1.8 percent every year, export turnover will increase by 14-15 percent, and 55 percent of the labourers will be well-trained.
NA Chairman Trong underlined Hanoi’s recent achievements, attributing them to Hanoi Party Committee’s good leadership and the people’s effort. He said the achievements contributed much to the country’s overall development.
However, Mr. Trong pointed out Hanoi’s weaknesses such as poor urban planning, construction and management; under-developed infrastructure, especially in rural areas; the development gap between central and suburban areas; and other problems related to land management, environmental pollution, and traffic jams.
Hanoi has not yet exploited its potential, especially the intellectual potential, for its development.
Party building and reinforcement still remained inadequate, said Mr. Trong.
The NA Chairman asked Hanoi to make every effort to promote socio-economic development, to contribute to making Vietnam an industrial country by 2020.
Hanoi should focus on sustainable development to improve its competitiveness. It should pay more attention to developing high-tech industries and services and reducing environmental pollution.
He also urged Hanoi to maintain political stability, ensure security and social order, and focus more on Party building improving the capacity of Party committees and members at all levels.
Source: VOV/VNA