Ho Chi Minh City rises up into a new spring, a new era.

A new spring is arriving in the city named after President Ho Chi Minh. The Year of the Horse (Bính Ngọ) brings with it a new spirit, new vitality, and new expectations for Ho Chi Minh City in 2026, a year of great significance: 50 years since the city was named after President Ho Chi Minh, 115 years since President Ho Chi Minh left to find a way to save the nation, and also the first spring of the "megacity" Ho Chi Minh City after the reunification, as it joins the rest of the country in entering a new era – "The era of the Vietnamese nation's resurgence."

A view of Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of Thanh Vu/VNA.

Unity, innovation, and convergence are the foundation.

The 13th National Congress of the Party was a term in which the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee overcame many challenges, maintained its leading role, and laid an important foundation for a new stage of development. Building on that foundation, Ho Chi Minh City enters the 14th National Congress with a more proactive, confident, and responsible attitude towards the Party, the people, and the future of the country.

This assessment was made by Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang when reflecting on the past term and looking towards the new phase of the city's development.

Ho Chi Minh City aims to become a civilized, modern city by 2030, a dynamic innovation center with deep integration, and a prominent position in Southeast Asia. By 2045, the city strives to be among the top 100 cities with the best quality of life in the world, a leading economic , financial, service, education, and healthcare center in Asia, and a globally attractive destination; developing in a distinctive, sustainable, and culturally rich manner. Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang emphasized Ho Chi Minh City's goals, stating that to realize these objectives, the key and overarching task of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee is to build the city into an intellectual, united, and innovative center – capable of leading the city into a new phase of development that is faster, more efficient, more sustainable, and contributes more to the country.

“Intelligence, unity, and innovation are not just slogans, but political commitments and standards of action. Every official, Party member, and citizen of the city needs to work together, transforming aspirations into actions, and goals into results; so that Ho Chi Minh City deserves to be a hub of intelligence, a driving force for national growth, and a civilized, modern, and compassionate city,” Mr. Tran Luu Quang emphasized.

Mr. Tran Luu Quang, Member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, visited, encouraged, and presented gifts to union members and workers in difficult circumstances. Photo: Thanh Vu/TTXVN

Unity and innovation, as stated by Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang, have been demonstrated through numerous concrete actions in just over half a year since the establishment of Ho Chi Minh City, the "megacity" (after its merger with the former Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces). From planning, strategies, and development plans to individual projects, everything is geared towards comprehensiveness and "coverage" across all areas and regions of the city, regardless of whether they are old or new.

This Tet holiday, for the first time, the Spring Flower Street and Book Street Festival 2026 of Ho Chi Minh City will expand its scope to three locations: Nguyen Hue pedestrian street (Saigon ward), Binh Duong ward, and Vung Tau ward. Ms. Tran Thi Dieu Thuy, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, stated that each location has its own unique characteristics and atmosphere, all aligned with a common theme, reflecting the spirit of unity, convergence, and development of the city; affirming the mindset and aspirations of the nation in an era of striving to become a dynamic international megacity in Southeast Asia.

Innovation begins with small projects, but carries great significance. To welcome the new year, Ho Chi Minh City transformed nine prime plots of land – vacant lots and projects that had been stalled for years – into parks and spring gardens for residents and tourists to enjoy during Tet (Lunar New Year). In particular, the plot at 1 Ly Thai To Street (Vuon Lai Ward) was transformed into a COVID-19 memorial park, a project that received widespread public support.

Professor, Dr. Le Chi Hiep (Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology) said that the COVID-19 memorial park project has been received by the people with great anticipation, excitement, and genuine satisfaction. According to Professor Le Chi Hiep, transforming "prime land" into a memorial park and flower garden for people to enjoy during the spring season is a policy that is very much in line with the people's wishes, a fresh and decisive idea of ​​the leaders of Ho Chi Minh City, especially the head of the Party Committee and the city government.

Continuing our leading role, we are ready for new opportunities.

On the eve of the Lunar New Year of the Horse, on the morning of February 9th, General Secretary To Lam and the Central Delegation visited and extended New Year greetings to the Party Committee, government, and people of Ho Chi Minh City. General Secretary To Lam stated: The year 2026 holds special significance for Ho Chi Minh City – marking 50 years since the honor of bearing the name of President Ho Chi Minh (1976-2026); and 115 years since President Ho Chi Minh departed from Nha Rong Port to seek a path to national salvation (1911-2026). These are not only sacred historical milestones but also a profound reminder of the responsibility to continue the legacy and the aspiration for even stronger progress of the city named after President Ho Chi Minh in the new era.

The General Secretary emphasized: Ho Chi Minh City needs to continue to clearly affirm its leading role, setting an example, being a place where the Central Government can confidently entrust new, difficult, and major tasks; and being the driving force for growth, innovation, and integration of the whole country.

The General Secretary's speech is a message of appreciation, affection, and recognition from the Central Committee to Ho Chi Minh City, a locality of special importance, playing a leading role and acting as a growth pole for the region and the entire country.

Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Xuan Khu/TTXVN

According to the Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Van Duoc, 2026 is significant in creating momentum and impetus for the entire 2026-2030 period. The city clearly recognizes that the workload is enormous, the requirements are very high, and complacency or delay is unacceptable. The city has unanimously chosen the theme for 2026 as: "Improving and enhancing the quality of the organizational structure - Unlocking institutions - Breaking through infrastructure - Enhancing the efficiency of serving the people."

Ho Chi Minh City ended 2025 with record figures, contributing 23.5% of the national GDP and one-third of the total national budget revenue. Based on these impressive results, the city not only affirmed its position as the leading economic engine of the country but also prepared for new opportunities with the goal of double-digit growth, an average GRDP of US$9,800, and the vision of becoming an international "megacity" ranking among the top 100 most livable cities in the world.

Ms. Huynh Thi Phuc, Deputy Head of the Ho Chi Minh City National Assembly Delegation, said she was very impressed with the achievements of the city in the short time after the merger. Most notably, the city has leveraged its potential, building upon the foundations and resources of the three former localities, transforming them into a stronger, shared force to overcome difficulties and challenges arising from the restructuring of the administrative apparatus and the expansion of development space. This has enabled the city to fulfill its socio-economic development tasks under new conditions, continue to maintain its position as the country's economic locomotive, and affirm its stature as a "megacity."

Ready for new opportunities, from city leaders to officials, civil servants, and citizens, everyone is joining in the joy of welcoming the new year with a renewed spirit. Ms. Truong Thi Ngoc Thao, a civil servant in Can Gio commune, shared that entering 2026 with thorough preparation in professional skills and working conditions, she and her colleagues will strive to make the commune's government apparatus operate more efficiently, implement administrative procedure reforms more strongly, bring convenience to the people, and complete all socio-economic targets for 2026.

As for salt farmer Nguyen Ngoc Tho in Thieng Lieng hamlet, Thanh An island commune, his wish is that "the people of Thanh An and Can Gio can do business and develop the economy to enrich the city and the country."

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/thanh-pho-mang-ten-bac-vuon-minh-vao-xuan-moi-ky-nguyen-moi-20260216201408650.htm