Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong (standing) speaks at the meeting (Photo VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong asked the northern port city of Hai Phong to develop a strong sea-based economy during a meeting between the Politburo and the municipal Party Committee in Hanoi on December 13.
The meeting focused on the implementation of Resolution No.32-NQ/TW, issued in August 2003 by the Politburo of the ninth tenure, on developing Hai Phong in line with the national industrialisation and modernisation period.
Politburo members shared the view that over the last 15 years, the city’s Party organisation, administration, and people have made efforts to develop sustainably with great strength.
Local economic growth has been relatively fast, at around 1.68 times higher than the national average. In 2017, the size of the economy expanded 4.27 times the 2003 figure; while per capita GDP reached 3,964 USD, 1.54 times more than the national average and rising 5.43 times from the 2003 GDP.
Breakthroughs have been recorded in the industrial sector as many industrial parks and major projects, such as those of Nomura or Vinfast, have appeared, consolidating Hai Phong’s role as one of Vietnam’s key industrial hubs. Nearly 488 trillion VND (21 billion USD) of investment capital was poured into the city by big Vietnamese and foreign businesses between 2003 and 2017, rising 16.6 percent annually.
Hai Phong has established itself as a gateway to the sea for the nation’s northern localities. The seaport system has been modernised, while transport infrastructure has also enjoyed a considerable facelift.
Meanwhile, local agriculture and rural areas have been geared towards industrialisation and modernisation. Eighty-nine of the 139 communes, or 64 percent, have met the 19 new-style rural area standards so far.
At the meeting, Politburo members pointed out that the current economic development has yet to match Hai Phong’s full potential. The city has not fulfilled its role as a growth engine for the Hai Phong-Hanoi-Quang Ninh economic triangle. Its connectivity in socio-economic development with other regional localities is also still weak.
Party General Secretary and President Trong emphasised that Hai Phong is one of the cities holding critical importance in terms of politics, economy, culture, society, security-defence, and external relations.
He shared other Politburo member’s view that the implementation of Resolution No.32-NQ/TW over the last 15 years has created an important driving force for local development.
He told municipal authorities to focus on developing the sea-based economy, marine and logistics services, industry, high-tech agriculture, culture, and science-technology, while also ensuring defence-security is maintained.
The city should do more to bring into play its role as the centre of the northern lowland region, Trong noted.
The leader also asked Hai Phong to pay attention to Party building, carry out the Party Central Committee’s resolution on streamlining the political apparatus, and step up its fight against corruption and wastefulness. –VNA
VNA
