Hai Phong: Heroic City "surpassing the waves" and "growing"

The Administrative Political Center and the Conference and Performance Center of Hai Phong City. (Photo: Hoang Ngoc/VNA)

70 years ago, on May 13, 1955, the last French soldiers disembarked at Ben Nghieng, Do Son to withdraw from the North according to the Geneva Agreement. Hai Phong was completely liberated.

Over the past 70 years, the Party Committee, army and people of Hai Phong city have constantly strived and made efforts to build and develop, making Hai Phong one of the country's major economic centers, a key growth pole in the Northern region.

From "City of Loyalty and Victory"

Hai Phong is the land of the waves, the wind, the eastern “fence” of the Fatherland, with a strategic position in the entire process of building and defending the country of our people. This land has witnessed and contributed to the glorious victories such as the three historical battles of Bach Dang.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as the "Great Port of Tonkin", an important traffic hub on the international maritime route and an industrial center, Hai Phong became one of the "cradles" marking the birth of the working class and the Vietnamese workers' movement fighting against the national and class oppression of French colonial capitalism.

As one of the first localities in the country to receive Marxism-Leninism spread by leader Nguyen Ai Quoc, Hai Phong played an important role in the process of establishing the Communist Party of Vietnam from 1925-1930.

In early April 1929, the first communist organization in Hai Phong was born. In April 1930, the Communist Party of Vietnam in Hai Phong city was established, one of the earliest party organizations in the country.

Since the Party's leadership, the workers' movement and the patriotic movement of the people of Hai Phong have taken place strongly, contributing effectively to the revolutionary movement of the whole country.

Under the leadership of the Party and directly of the City Party Committee, Hai Phong became one of the centers of the revolutionary movement of the whole country.

On August 4, 1945, the army and people of Hai Phong organized a successful fight against Japanese fascism.

Following the general uprising order, from August 15 to 25, 1945, the people of Hai Phong, together with the people of the whole country, rose up to liberate the city, abolished the enemy's puppet government at all levels, established a revolutionary government, and won independence and freedom.

On November 20, 1946, the resistance war against French colonialism broke out in Hai Phong.

Under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, the Party Committee, the army and people of Hai Phong successfully carried out a comprehensive, all-people war right in the enemy-occupied area, achieving many outstanding feats of arms, creating the tradition of "heroic Route 5," "rebellious Route 10," and "fiery Cat Bi."

After contributing to the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory, the army and people of Hai Phong entered a new battle with 300 days of struggle to protect and prevent the enemy from sabotaging and moving machinery to the South.

With intelligence and courage, the army and people of Hai Phong crushed the enemy's plot to sabotage the Port City and the Geneva Agreement.

On May 13, 1955, the Vietnamese Army entered and took over Hai Phong city to the welcome of the people. (Photo: VNA)

On May 13, 1955, the people of Hai Phong welcomed our troops to take over the city. This was an event of extremely important historical significance, marking a brilliant milestone in the revolutionary career of the Party Committee, government and people of the city.

With glorious achievements in the resistance war against French colonialism, Hai Phong was honored to receive the six golden words "City of Loyalty and Determination to Win" from President Ho Chi Minh.

After the resistance war against the US to save the country, in 1976, the Party Committee, army and people of Hai Phong city were honored to receive the Gold Star Order - the most noble award of our State - from the Party and State.

To the most modern maritime economic center in the North

With the tradition of “Loyalty and determination to win,” over the past 70 years, the army and people of Hai Phong have always promoted revolutionary heroism, stepped up emulation movements, and strived to overcome all difficulties and hardships to excellently complete tasks in the new period.

Along with the vibrant and strongly developing life of the country, with popular decisions, Hai Phong is blossoming with new vitality every day.

Like a ship sailing out to sea, Hai Phong carries the strength of a sacred land and talented people to affirm its strategic position in national defense and security, becoming the leading modern maritime economic center in Southeast Asia with economic growth always among the top in the country.

Building cargo ships at Bach Dang Shipyard (May 1970). (Photo: Van Sac/VNA)

During the years 1955-1965, Hai Phong was the place where patriotic emulation movements were implemented, the origin of the "Sea Waves" emulation movement in industrial production, and also the beginning of the emulation movement to build socialist labor teams and groups in the North.

To support the Southern battlefield, Wharf K15 was built. This was the secret departure place of the unnumbered ships, the starting point of the epic at sea - the legendary Ho Chi Minh trail, becoming a proud symbol of the nation, the embodiment of the will and aspiration for independence, freedom and national unification. Many officers and sailors of the "unnumbered" ships were the elite sons of Hai Phong.

From 1965 to 1975, Hai Phong was the target of attacks by American aircraft and warships. The Party Committee, army and people of Hai Phong promoted the tradition of “Loyalty and Determination to Win” to the fullest extent to fight and win, shooting down 317 American aircraft, breaking the enemy’s siege and blockade of the port with mines, ensuring smooth traffic flow in all situations.

Tens of thousands of Hai Phong's elite children "Cut through Truong Son to save the country," countless people have remained with the Truong Son mountain range, and have transformed into the Vietnamese Land.

During the years 1976-1985, Hai Phong, together with the whole country, carried out two strategic tasks: building and defending the Fatherland. Hai Phong was the origin of the product contracting mechanism in agricultural production, and was entrusted by the Central Government to pilot policies to innovate industrial production management, expand international cooperation and exchanges, pilot the implementation of a price mechanism close to market prices, and summarize the implementation of the motto "People know, people discuss, people do, people inspect."

Those creative steps and approaches of Hai Phong have contributed to forming the Party's comprehensive innovation policy.

Loading and unloading goods at Hai Phong Port in the early 1970s. (Photo: Bao Hanh/VNA)

In particular, from 2016 to now is a period of strong and breakthrough development of Hai Phong. The city's economic growth is always in the leading group of the country, maintaining 10 consecutive years of double-digit growth. Transport infrastructure is invested in a synchronous and modern direction. In particular, Lach Huyen deep-water seaport put into use since 2018 is considered the largest deep-water port in the North.

In addition, the Tan Vu-Lach Huyen sea-crossing bridge and a series of inter-regional connecting bridges have been invested in and put into use, such as Dinh bridge, Quang Thanh bridge, Ben Rung bridge, Hoa river bridge, Lai Xuan bridge, etc., contributing to promoting local economic development.

The city has attracted many large domestic companies and corporations (Vingroup, Sungroup, Geleximco, Flamingo...) with large projects with a total investment of more than 200 trillion VND; along with large projects from Japan and Korea, capable of attracting other satellite projects such as: LG Electronics, LG Display, Bridgestone, Nipro Pharma, Fuji Xerox...

In particular, on January 24, 2019, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 45-NQ/TW on building and developing Hai Phong to 2030, with a vision to 2045. This is considered a guideline to realize development aspirations, a fulcrum for the city to take off.

Up to now, after 6 years of implementation, the role of Hai Phong city as a major socio-economic center for the Red River Delta and the whole country continues to be affirmed.

Hai Phong is the only locality in the country to maintain a double-digit growth rate for 10 consecutive years, with budget revenue ranking third in the country, after Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and attracting foreign investment ranking second in the country, a miracle in the renovation period.

A corner of Hai Phong city. (Photo: VNA)

In 2024, Hai Phong's economy will rise to the 5th position in the country, with the highest economic growth rate among the 5 localities with the largest economic scale.

In the first quarter of 2025, the city's GRDP grew by 11.07% over the same period, nearly 1.6 times higher than the country's GDP, ranking 6th in the country and 2nd in the Red River Delta. Domestic revenue reached over VND 28,500 billion, up 48.2% over the same period, reaching 55.96% of the Central budget and the City People's Council's budget, more than 3 times higher than in 2021.

Hai Phong is also the leading locality in the country in the rankings of: Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI), Administrative Reform Index (PAR Index), People's Satisfaction Index with State Administrative Services (SIPAS) and Provincial Green Index (PGI).

The city is accelerating and innovating its growth model; restructuring its economy towards developing three pillars: high-tech industry; seaport-logistics; tourism-trade. Among them, focusing on applying science-technology and innovation; applying digital in industries, developing a green economy, prioritizing projects using renewable energy and clean technology.

Hai Phong is also building a Southern Coastal Economic Zone following a green growth model, circular economy, and sustainable development; focusing on high-tech industry, port services, and modern logistics.

Not only focusing on industrial development, Hai Phong also focuses on tourism development through exploiting cultural and historical heritages and always upholds and values ​​the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural heritage values ​​that are characteristic of Hai Phong.

Cat Ba Archipelago was recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve (in 2004); and by the Prime Minister as a Special National Monument (in 2013). (Photo: VNA)

By 2024, the entire city will have 565 ranked relics at all levels; 12 National Intangible Cultural Heritages, 1 World Natural Heritage recognized by UNESCO and many other typical heritages.

Hai Phong City is promoting its historical strengths and revolutionary traditions to enter a new era with a solid foundation, while closely connecting with the world's development trends.

On May 13, 2025, Hai Phong will be honored to receive the title of "Heroic City" on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Hai Phong Liberation Day, an important historical milestone, further enhancing the meaning and value of the title for every citizen of the Port City.

The title is a worthy recognition of the persistent efforts and great contributions of generations of the Party Committee, government and people of Hai Phong city in the cause of national liberation, construction and defense. At the same time, it is a great source of encouragement, adding strength for Hai Phong to promote the tradition of "Loyalty - Determination to win", continuing to step firmly into the new era, the era of national growth./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/hai-phong-thanh-pho-anh-hung-vuon-song-vuon-minh-post1037989.vnp