HCMC – HCMC, as a special-class city, requires corresponding policies, according to the National Assembly (NA) deputies.
The NA General Secretary, Bui Van Cuong, said that HCMC has the largest population and the highest economic growth in the country, contributing 27% to the State budget revenue and around 17% to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).
However, the city’s leading role in the region and the country is weakening, and its international competitiveness remains low.
The city now faces numerous challenges that need to be thoroughly resolved, such as traffic congestion, flooding, environmental pollution, and the inability of the housing, hospital, and school systems to meet demands.
Therefore, the NA deputies agreed that HCMC needs a new mechanism that is more suitable for its role as the major economic zone in southern Vietnam and the country as a whole.
The aim of this policy is to enhance the city’s capacity to compete with other megacities in the region and the world.
Providing feedback on the draft resolution, Deputy Duong Khac Mai from Dak Nong Province emphasized that priority should be given to developing urban railways and flooding control projects.
He also suggested piloting the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) investment model for existing road upgrade and expansion projects in the city.
Deputy Tran Khanh Thu from Thai Binh Province shared the view, supporting the issuance of a new resolution with new policies to enable HCMC to achieve breakthrough development. She also emphasized the importance of attracting the private sector, especially in the medical and healthcare fields.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Phuong Thuy, a delegate from Hanoi, suggested that the NA should consider allocating more authority to HCMC in terms of organizing mechanisms and personnel management.
