Le Thanh Hai, Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh CityParty Committee, spoke to Vietnam News Agency about the city'sachievements and its targets for 2015.
Q: Last year, HCM Cityattained several important achievements in various areas. Can you talkabout the socio-economic achievements of the past year?
A: Last year, HCM City passed several resolutions and conclusions ofthe Central Party Committee and the Politburo, National Assembly and theGovernment to control inflation, stabilise the macro-economy, maintainsuitable economic growth and ensure social welfare.
Thanks to the union of the city's party committee, administration andthe people, who were dynamic and creative in overcoming difficulties,the city achieved several important results in various fields.
In 2014, the city's GDP growth rate was 9.6 percent. The economicgrowth rate was a positive one, as the GDP of each successive quarterwas higher than the previous one.
With a significanteconomic growth rate, the State budget revenue in the city increased11.4 percent last year, exceeding 11.4 percent of the target. TheConsumer Price Index increased 1.65 percent compared with December 2013.It was the slowest increase recorded in several years.
Besides the achievements in the economy, other areas, includingculture, social welfare, education and human-resource training in thecity underwent development progress. Science and technology researchcontributed to improving healthcare services for the people. HCM Cityhas also supported enterprises to overcome capital difficulties, byoffering bank interest subsidies.
Q: Has there been progress in reducing the poverty rate?
A: For poverty reduction, the city's political system has showncombined strength in sustainable poverty reduction, limiting the numberof poor households with annual per capita income below 16 million VND(761 USD) to 1.35 percent. The number of households living near thepoverty line is 2.78 percent of the city's population.
Every year, HCM City creates more than 120,000 job opportunities whichalso help reduce the income gap among residents. At the end of 2014,the city's per capita GDP was 5,131 USD, an increase of 12.89 percentcompared with 2013.
Q: This year is the final yearof the city's five-year socio-economic development plan. The success inimplementing 2015's plan will create motivation for the 2016 – 2020plan. Can you tell us about the city's targets for this year?
A: HCM City must invest greater effort than what it has done inprevious years. This includes supporting enterprises to overcomedifficulties in accessing funds, speeding up administrative reform,improving the investment environment, and attracting resources fordevelopment to achieve targets set at the ninth Party Congress. Thesegoals will form the foundation for the city's economic, cultural andsocial development target period 2016 – 2020.
Thisyear, the city will not only maintain an economic growth rate higherthan 2014, but focus on the quality of growth and sustainabledevelopment by giving priority to developing nine service sectorclusters and four industry sector clusters. The policy will benefit thesupport industry which is linked to the development of small- andmedium-sized enterprises.
Q: HCM City has beencreative in deploying policies and guidelines of the Party andGovernment. Can you tell about experiences that have helped the cityachieve results from these policies?
A: Everylocality in the country has to put forth their best efforts to realisethe Party and State's policies. HCM City is not an exception.
Not only in 2014, but over the past years, while implementing anypolicy or guideline from the Party and State, HCM City leaders havealways pursued principles that are speedy and offer sustainabledevelopment, attaching economic growth to cultural development, socialjustice, environmental protection, and the building of a civilised,modern and urban society. The quality of social welfare has received agreat deal of attention from city leaders, and has been further enhancedas a result.-VNA
Q: Last year, HCM Cityattained several important achievements in various areas. Can you talkabout the socio-economic achievements of the past year?
A: Last year, HCM City passed several resolutions and conclusions ofthe Central Party Committee and the Politburo, National Assembly and theGovernment to control inflation, stabilise the macro-economy, maintainsuitable economic growth and ensure social welfare.
Thanks to the union of the city's party committee, administration andthe people, who were dynamic and creative in overcoming difficulties,the city achieved several important results in various fields.
In 2014, the city's GDP growth rate was 9.6 percent. The economicgrowth rate was a positive one, as the GDP of each successive quarterwas higher than the previous one.
With a significanteconomic growth rate, the State budget revenue in the city increased11.4 percent last year, exceeding 11.4 percent of the target. TheConsumer Price Index increased 1.65 percent compared with December 2013.It was the slowest increase recorded in several years.
Besides the achievements in the economy, other areas, includingculture, social welfare, education and human-resource training in thecity underwent development progress. Science and technology researchcontributed to improving healthcare services for the people. HCM Cityhas also supported enterprises to overcome capital difficulties, byoffering bank interest subsidies.
Q: Has there been progress in reducing the poverty rate?
A: For poverty reduction, the city's political system has showncombined strength in sustainable poverty reduction, limiting the numberof poor households with annual per capita income below 16 million VND(761 USD) to 1.35 percent. The number of households living near thepoverty line is 2.78 percent of the city's population.
Every year, HCM City creates more than 120,000 job opportunities whichalso help reduce the income gap among residents. At the end of 2014,the city's per capita GDP was 5,131 USD, an increase of 12.89 percentcompared with 2013.
Q: This year is the final yearof the city's five-year socio-economic development plan. The success inimplementing 2015's plan will create motivation for the 2016 – 2020plan. Can you tell us about the city's targets for this year?
A: HCM City must invest greater effort than what it has done inprevious years. This includes supporting enterprises to overcomedifficulties in accessing funds, speeding up administrative reform,improving the investment environment, and attracting resources fordevelopment to achieve targets set at the ninth Party Congress. Thesegoals will form the foundation for the city's economic, cultural andsocial development target period 2016 – 2020.
Thisyear, the city will not only maintain an economic growth rate higherthan 2014, but focus on the quality of growth and sustainabledevelopment by giving priority to developing nine service sectorclusters and four industry sector clusters. The policy will benefit thesupport industry which is linked to the development of small- andmedium-sized enterprises.
Q: HCM City has beencreative in deploying policies and guidelines of the Party andGovernment. Can you tell about experiences that have helped the cityachieve results from these policies?
A: Everylocality in the country has to put forth their best efforts to realisethe Party and State's policies. HCM City is not an exception.
Not only in 2014, but over the past years, while implementing anypolicy or guideline from the Party and State, HCM City leaders havealways pursued principles that are speedy and offer sustainabledevelopment, attaching economic growth to cultural development, socialjustice, environmental protection, and the building of a civilised,modern and urban society. The quality of social welfare has received agreat deal of attention from city leaders, and has been further enhancedas a result.-VNA
