In its master plan for socio-economic development from now till 2020 with vision till 2030, Hanoi sets a target to become a driving force in national development.

Under the master plan, approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Decision 1081/QD TTg, the city's economic growth will be 12-13 percent – on an average for the period 2011-15, 11-12 percent for the following five year plan (2016-20), and between 9.5-10 percent for 2021-30.

By 2015, GDP per capita in Hanoi will be 4,100-4,300 USD. By 2020 the figure will be 7,100-7,500 USD, and by 2030 it will be more than double – from 16.000-17.000 USD.

Hanoi will be home to 7.2-7.3 million people by 2015; by 2020 the population will rise to around 8 million and by 2030 it will reach 9.2 million.

In the master plan, by 2015 more than 55 percent of the city's labour force will have acquired a professional skill set, and that figure will increase to between 70-75 percent by 2020. By that time, Hanoi will become a training centre, producing high-quality workers for the country and the region.

Under the plan, the service sector is one of the top priorities in the city's development, including finance, banking, insurance, stock exchange, post and telecommunications, science and technology, health care, education and training, consultancy and public transport.

While focusing on economic development, Hanoi also set a target to create between 135,000 – 140,000 jobs annually during the period 2011-15. In the following five years (2016-20), the figure will be from 155,000-160,000 jobs per year.

The city's leadership also wants to invest in the development of the transport infrastructure in a hope to be able to solve the problem of traffic. To that end, the city will focus its investments on public transportation options, such as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), the elevated rail and metro systems.

The plan's aim is to build Hanoi into a green, cultural, civilised and modern city with its own characteristics. In its spatial development plan, Hanoi will be developed into a cluster city with its centre – the old Hanoi – surrounded by satellite cities, towns and countryside.

Hanoi will have five satellite cities and each will have its own function. Hoa Lac is a city of science, technology and training. Son Tay is a city of culture, history, resorts and tourism.Xuan Mai is a city of services and supporting industries like handicrafts and craft villages.

Phu Xuyen is a city of industry and a transport hub. And Soc Son is a city of services, particularly for the Noi Bai International Airport , the Kunming-Hanoi-Quang Ninh economic corridor and the Soc Son landscape.

Under the master plan, total social investment for the five years from 2011-15 is estimated at about 69-70 billion USD and between 110-120 billion USD for the following five years (2016-20). /.