GRDP increases by 7.49% if crude oil is not included
On July 4, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee held its first socio-economic meeting since merging with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces. The meeting was connected online with all 168 wards, communes and special zones in the new city.
Reporting at the meeting, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Finance Nguyen Cong Vinh said that in the first 6 months of the year, the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) after the merger increased by 6.56%. Notably, if the crude oil factor is excluded, the growth rate will reach 7.49%. The old Ho Chi Minh City increased by 7.82%, the old Binh Duong increased by 8.3%, while the old Ba Ria - Vung Tau decreased by 2.2%.
According to Mr. Nguyen Khac Hoang - Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Statistics Office, including crude oil in the calculation has reduced GRDP to about 0.93%. "The growth target for the last 6 months of the year at 10-12% is a huge challenge in the current context" - Mr. Hoang commented.
Mr. Hoang also noted that, although the public investment disbursement rate reached 32.9% - a fairly positive level compared to previous years, to complete the target of 100% by the end of the year, Ho Chi Minh City needs to achieve an average disbursement rate of over 11% per month in the remaining 6 months.
Strategic vision for a new city
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc emphasized that the merger of three localities to create a new Ho Chi Minh City requires a new approach: Larger, longer-term and more strategic. Previously, we planned by location, now we have to plan according to the overall vision of the new city - a special urban area, striving to be in the top 100 livable cities in the world by 2030, with a vision to 2045 - Mr. Duoc said.
Accordingly, the functional zoning and development orientation of each area will be reviewed and adjusted. The city aims to make the most of the advantages of each locality, while eliminating unnecessary intra-regional competition.
Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc also frankly pointed out some shortcomings. He said that in the first quarter, out of 3 newly established enterprises, 4 enterprises closed. By the second quarter, the rate had improved - 2.3 "born" enterprises, 1 "dead" enterprise but there were still many concerns. This is a warning index that needs to be closely monitored, especially in the context of the impending impacts of tariffs and international policies, Mr. Duoc emphasized.
The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee called on units to shift from the "control" model to the "service", taking efficiency as a measure. "We must eliminate the optimistic thinking towards the people. People do not ask - we do not give, but people are the ones who place orders, and the government is the service provider" - Mr. Duoc emphasized.
Mr. Duoc also requested the urgent completion of the project of the two-level Public Administration Center, aiming for the goal of 100% of administrative procedures being carried out "unlimitedly" by the end of 2025. The city-level public administrative center will have a headquarters and 38 branches in the previous districts (22 of the old Ho Chi Minh City, 9 of the old Binh Duong, 7 of the old Ba Ria - Vung Tau), each branch will have at least 5 positions.
Concluding the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc emphasized: "We are now in the same house. We need to stop thinking about the area you are, the area I am, to see this as the new Ho Chi Minh City. Let's take advantage of every advantage, exploit the strengths of each region to build a strong city, having at least two large corporations with the Ho Chi Minh City brand in the future".
