Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong chaired a Politburo meeting in Hanoi on July 6 to review the development of Ho Chi Minh City under the 9th Party Central Committee’s Resolution 20/NQ-TW.

At the meeting, the Party leader emphasized the important role and position of HCM City, saying that it is not only a hub of economics, culture, education, science and technology, international exchanges and integration but also a driving force for the national development.

The city has made great contributions to the country in terms of both materials (20 percent of the national GDP and 30 percent of budget revenues) and development experience.

Appreciating HCM City’s creativeness and dynamism, Trong encouraged the city to try new ideas to deal with newly-emerging issues during the development process

In the coming time, HCM City should focus on addressing infrastructure problems and improving the quality of human resources, the quality of growth and competitiveness, he said.

The Party chief expressed his approval of HCM City’s targets set for the period of between now and 2002. The city will strive to bring per capita GDP to 8,500 USD per year, basically fulfill the building of new rural areas, as well as improve transport infrastructure and health care network.

At the same time, he noted that HCM City should preserve and promote the national cultural identity and the local characteristics, narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, and ensure social security and safety.

According to the Politburo, after more than 25 years of renewal, HCM City has recorded great and comprehensive achievements, creating basic changes in social life and importantly contributing to the common achievements of the region and the country.

The city has posted an average economic growth rate of over 11 percent, 1.5 fold the country’s rate.

It generated 21.3 percent of the country’s GDP and 29.38 percent of total budget revenues. The city also accounted for 43.72 percent of the country’s tourism revenues and 27.9 percent of export turnover. Per capita income in HCM City is 2.4 times higher than the national level.

However, low growth quality and competitiveness, overloaded infrastructure and problems in urban planning and management are hindering the city’s sustainable development.

The Politburo agreed to issue a new resolution on orientations and tasks for HCM City’s development by 2020.

Source: VNA