Ho Chi Minh City names 12 outstanding milestones of 2025

On January 10, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City announced 12 significant milestones that reflect the city's comprehensive and breakthrough development in 2025.

According to the Department of Culture and Sports of HCMC, 2025 is a year marked by unprecedented events. The selection council noted that 2025 witnessed many outstanding achievements, including high breakthroughs and widespread impact across various sectors, all of which met the criteria of representation, socio-political significance, positive impact, and long-term value for the city's development.

Therefore, the selection council thoroughly discussed and decided to choose 12 milestones instead of the usual 10 to fully and comprehensively reflect the achievements of HCMC. This also honours the efforts and contributions of the entire political system, the business community, and the city's residents.

The standout milestones for 2025 were selected not only for their specific, prominent results but also for embodying the spirit of innovation, creativity, decisive action, and the aspiration for development of Ho Chi Minh City in the new era.

Downtown HCMC viewed from the Saigon River – a hub for financial, commercial, and service activities, serving as a growth engine for the city. (Photo: HOANG HUNG)

The 12 milestones include:

1. Merger of HCMC, Binh Duong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau and implementation of a two-tier local government model

From July 1, 2025, HCMC expanded its scale with the merger of Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

This event marks a significant development in spatial organisation, urban management, and regional linkage for the city in the new phase. On the expanded spatial foundation, the city established a development model comprising three regions, one special zone, three corridors, and five pillars.

To date, the administrative apparatus, from the city to communes, wards, and special zones, has gradually become more orderly; the team of officials, civil servants, and public employees is increasingly better serving the people and businesses.

General Secretary To Lam presents flowers from the Central Committee of the Party, National Assembly, Government, and Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front on the occasion of the announcement and launch of the HCMC Party Committee. (Photo: VIET DUNG)

General Secretary To Lam hands over the Politburo's decision on appointing the new HCMC Party Committee and the new HCMC Party Standing Committee for the 2020-2025 term. (Photo: VIET DUNG)

2. Millions of hearts towards the national celebration marking 50 years of Southern Liberation and National Reunification

The year 2025 is a memorable milestone in HCMC's development journey, as the city and the entire country commemorate 50 years since the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025).

This is considered a major, special event that has gathered an unprecedented number of people since the country's reunification, in HCMC.

A helicopter carrying the national flag flies over HCMC, with millions of hearts below directed towards it. (Photo: THANH CHIÊU)

The event took place with the participation of many forces and units from both the central and HCMC levels. Still, the core of its success was the people, with millions of hearts focused on the 50-year national reunification celebration.

3. The 1st HCMC Party Congress for the 2025-2030 term: A Congress of Trust, Vision, and Action

This is a particularly historic congress, taking place in the context of the city having just completed the merger, expanded development space, and implemented a two-tier local government model, posing new demands for vision, thinking, and leadership methods.

The congress was honoured to welcome General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, and many leaders and former leaders of the Party and State.

General Secretary To Lam and fellow leaders, former leaders of the Party, State, central ministries, and HCMC attend the 1st HCMC Party Congress. (Photo: VIET DUNG)

The congress agreed on 30 key targets for the 2025-2030 period. It also decided on three breakthrough programs for HCMC for the 2025-2030 term, focusing on policies, institutions, infrastructure development, and human resource development.

4. Swiftly proposing amendments to the National Assembly Resolution and completing the HCMC People's Council Resolution, creating a strong impetus for HCMC's development in the new phase

Following the historic merger milestone, HCMC's government immediately established a solid "framework" to ensure the megacity's stable and efficient operation, creating a strong impetus for the new development phase.

The focal point of this strategy is the National Assembly's approval of Resolution 260 (replacing Resolution 98 on piloting some specific mechanisms and policies for HCMC's development).

The second meeting of the 1st HCMC Party Committee identified this as a "diamond" opportunity, creating institutional breakthroughs to promote rapid and sustainable city development. This truly is an "institutional runway" that opens up and resolves long-standing bottlenecks.

More importantly, Resolution 260 has opened a wide legal corridor, marking a fundamental shift from the mindset of "requesting pilot mechanisms" to proactively being "granted authority and taking responsibility".

The first session of the HCMC People's Council after the merger. (Photo: VIET DUNG)

Alongside this, the new HCMC People's Council has focused on organising thematic sessions, issuing 247 resolutions; among them, numerous resolutions on social welfare have been passed, with many policies carrying profound humanitarian significance.

5. HCMC residents actively respond to the call of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of HCMC in implementing social welfare activities, showcasing the city's compassionate spirit

HCMC - The city of compassion, with the series of activities "National Festival - United People" has created a profound impact, spreading the spirit of national unity.

This spirit is affirmed through many social welfare activities caring for people's lives, such as: providing over 367,036 Tet gifts, with a total cost of over 265.179 billion VND; building and repairing 899 unity houses with a total value of over 44.8 billion VND; implementing 1974 projects in response to the "City of a Thousand Flowers" movement, launching 1,680 "United - Compassionate - Self-managed" residential areas.

The HCMC delegation, led by Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of HCMC, presents gifts to students in Khanh Hoa. (Photo: VAN MINH)

Especially, with the spirit of "HCMC - For the whole country, with the whole country", the city's residents have actively contributed workforce and resources, with over 340 billion VND to support people in the Central and Northern regions affected by storms and floods in 2025.

HCMC also organised delegations to visit and deliver 50 billion VND, over 2,900 tons of essential goods, 10,000 life jackets, 10,000 medicine bags, and mobilised medical forces, volunteers, transportation, machinery, and equipment to support the people of Khanh Hoa province in overcoming the damage.

6. HCMC's economy grows robustly

The year 2025 marks a significant turning point in HCMC's development process, with an estimated GRDP growth rate of about 8.03%, a total GRDP value estimated at 3 trillion VND, accounting for 23.5% of the national GDP; the average GRDP per capita reaches 8,755 USD (about 220 million VND), 1.7 times the national average.

The total state budget revenue is estimated at 800.043 trillion VND, accounting for about 1/3 of the national total. Foreign direct investment (FDI) is estimated at 8.16 billion USD.

A strategically significant highlight is the government's announcement of the establishment of the International Financial Centre in Vietnam, following the "one centre, two destinations" model, located in HCMC and Da Nang.

Groundbreaking ceremony for the Ben Thanh - Can Gio high-speed railway. (Photo: QUOC HUNG)

7. Inauguration and groundbreaking of numerous key projects, especially the groundbreaking of the Ben Thanh - Can Gio high-speed railway

The year 2025 marks a significant transformation of HCMC, with numerous transportation and urban infrastructure projects being inaugurated and put into operation.

Notably, the groundbreaking of the Ben Thanh - Can Gio high-speed railway, Vietnam's first high-speed railway, marked a significant milestone with direct investment from the private sector.

The city also focuses on developing public spaces to meet the increasing needs of residents. Examples include green parks and public playground spaces, including a memorial for Covid-19 victims planned on an area of approximately 6.8 hectares, with a total investment of around 1.376 trillion VND, to be built at Site 1, Ly Thai To Street, Vuon Lai Ward.

Site number 1, Ly Thai To Street, Vuon Lai Ward, HCMC. (Photo: HOANG HUNG)

8. HCMC tourism makes a comprehensive breakthrough - elevating to international standards

The year 2025 is a standout for HCMC tourism, as the industry achieves comprehensive development in terms of scale, quality, and international standing.

Notably, the city pioneered the "Event within an Event" model, hosting four major events simultaneously to form the International Economic-Tourism Week.

HCMC tourism has also made its mark with numerous prestigious international awards, thereby reinforcing the city's image as a centre for event organisation, a dynamic and creative destination with top competitiveness in the Asia region.

9. HCMC accelerates the development of science and technology, innovation, and pioneering in implementing digital schools and hospitals

The year 2025 marks a strategic shift for HCMC in developing science, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, initiating the robust implementation of the Politburo's Resolution 57-NQ/TW.

A notable milestone is the operation of the HCMC Innovation Startup Centre.

The city's investment in science and technology development always places residents at the centre, as highlighted by its focus on digital transformation in administrative reform, and its efforts to address the essential needs of the populace in healthcare and education.

Residents experience features at a self-service kiosk. (Photo: THU HƯỜNG)

The management, reception, and processing of residents' requests based on data and models such as "Digital Citizen Stations", self-service kiosks, and intelligent robots at public administration service centres have contributed to creating an image of a modern, transparent government that is close to the people, placing them at the centre.

10. Cultural, sports, and media activities spread strongly and deeply, and UNESCO recognises HCMC as a "Creative City in the Field of Cinema"

Literature, arts, journalism, media, and sports in the city continue to affirm their roles and responsibilities in social life.

Notably, the recognition of 50 literary and artistic works from 1975 to 2025.

The policy of developing cultural industries appears to be effective, as evidenced by the surge in concerts, major music festivals, and film revenues, with 11 Vietnamese films reaching the hundred-billion mark.

Numerous vibrant activities are commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press and the 50th anniversary of the HCMC Press.

In 2025, HCMC is recognised by UNESCO as the first "Creative City in the Field of Cinema" in Southeast Asia.

Concert "Brother Overcoming Obstacles"

11. National defence and security are maintained, the city's armed forces achieve many outstanding victories and accomplishments, receiving numerous prestigious awards from the Party and State

In 2025, the HCMC armed forces and two units of the City Police (the Internal Security Department and the Special Criminal Investigation Team of the Criminal Police Department) are honoured by the President with the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces.

12. HCMC's foreign affairs in 2025: Elevating status - Promoting cooperation - Spreading trust

HCMC's foreign affairs leave a strong mark, from strategy to practice, across all pillars: political diplomacy, economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, and people-to-people exchange.

The city successfully organised over 70 regional and international foreign affairs events in politics, economics, culture, and tourism.

After the merger, the city's international cooperation space also expanded, with 87 sister cities worldwide, creating an extensive network of connections that contributes to maintaining political trust and promoting multi-sector cooperation.

See details of the 12 remarkable milestones of HCMC in 2025 here

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