The northern city of Thai Nguyen became a "first-class" city on Oct. 17 in a celebration attended by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
Thai Nguyen was named a first-class city because it plays a role in its wider region rather than just its own province, but still comes under the supervision of its province.
Thai Nguyen, 80km north of Hanoi , covers an area of almost 19,000ha and has population of more than 330,000.
Industry and construction account for about 48 percent of the city's economic structure while services and agriculture make up 47.4 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively.
Dung said at the ceremony he believed the city would bring into full play its good history and achievements.
"I believe it will spend more effort overcoming challenges to become a model for regional cities, which is green, clean, beautiful, modern, but traditional, wealthy and civilised, as expressed by Uncle Ho when he visited here," Dung said.
He told the provincial authorities to focus on developing human resources, services, industry, transport and agriculture.
Thai Nguyen also needed to speed up economic growth, based on the production and service industries that it influenced, and high-technology industries to improve the quality and competitiveness of the economy and turn it into a modern economically structured city, he said.
Thai Nguyen City was established in 1962 on the basis of Thai Nguyen Town and the steel manufacturing area in the southern part of Thai Nguyen province.
In 2002, it became a second-class city, which plays a central role in the development of a province and must have a population of at least 25,000.
Vietnam now has two special cities, Hanoi and HCM City , three first-class cities under the supervision of the State, seven first-class cities under the supervision of their provinces, 12 second-class cities and 32 third-class cities which have populations of at least 10,000./.
Thai Nguyen was named a first-class city because it plays a role in its wider region rather than just its own province, but still comes under the supervision of its province.
Thai Nguyen, 80km north of Hanoi , covers an area of almost 19,000ha and has population of more than 330,000.
Industry and construction account for about 48 percent of the city's economic structure while services and agriculture make up 47.4 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively.
Dung said at the ceremony he believed the city would bring into full play its good history and achievements.
"I believe it will spend more effort overcoming challenges to become a model for regional cities, which is green, clean, beautiful, modern, but traditional, wealthy and civilised, as expressed by Uncle Ho when he visited here," Dung said.
He told the provincial authorities to focus on developing human resources, services, industry, transport and agriculture.
Thai Nguyen also needed to speed up economic growth, based on the production and service industries that it influenced, and high-technology industries to improve the quality and competitiveness of the economy and turn it into a modern economically structured city, he said.
Thai Nguyen City was established in 1962 on the basis of Thai Nguyen Town and the steel manufacturing area in the southern part of Thai Nguyen province.
In 2002, it became a second-class city, which plays a central role in the development of a province and must have a population of at least 25,000.
Vietnam now has two special cities, Hanoi and HCM City , three first-class cities under the supervision of the State, seven first-class cities under the supervision of their provinces, 12 second-class cities and 32 third-class cities which have populations of at least 10,000./.
