Ho Chi Minh City recorded a gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rate of 7.64 percent in the first quarter of 2019, equivalent to the pace during same period last year.

During the period, the service sector’s proportion in the local economy has continued to increase, trading activities have kept developing, and agricultural production remains stable while the industrial production index has posted faster growth than a year earlier.

Additionally, trade and tourism promotion has been enhanced and resulted in positive outcomes, helping local businesses expand their markets and attracting more foreign investment to the city.

However, there remain numerous difficulties and challenges facing HCM City, such as lower growth rates compared to the same period last year in service sector, exports and import, among others.

Experts said the city needs to improve its indexes of public administrative reform, provincial competitiveness, and provincial governance and public administration performance; promote its economic competitiveness; as well as strengthen defence, security and social order and safety.-VNA

VNA