Last year, Vietnam’s southern hub Ho Chi Minh City achieved many breakthroughs in various fields including politics, economics, culture, society, administrative reform, and digital transformation.

The city administration has wrapped up 2024 by highlighting the 10 most outstanding events in the metropolis.

1. Party General Secretary To Lam, senior leaders of the Party and State work with Ho Chi Minh City’s leaders on important issues

On August 17, General Secretary To Lam visited and worked with the city’s Party Committee on the implementation of the resolutions of the 13th National Party Congress and the 11th city Party Congress, as well as the execution of Directive 35 of the Politburo on Party Congresses at all levels towards the 14th Party National Congress.

On August 10, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh worked with local authorities on the socio-economic situation, focusing on the implementation of Resolution 98 of the National Assembly (NA) on several special mechanisms and policies for the development of the city and the fourth meeting of the Southeast Regional Coordination Council.

On October 5, NA chairman Tran Thanh Man chaired a working session with the Standing Committee of the city’s Party Committee to evaluate the results of one year of implementing Resolution 98 and the execution of the NA’s Resolution 57 on the construction of the city’s Belt Road 3.

2. Ho Chi Minh City authorities’ and people’s demonstration of great national unity

The Party Committee, government and people of Ho Chi Minh City, with the tradition of solidarity and love for compatriots, are ready to help and donate to underprivileged people in other localities. 

In 2024, local people gave support to many northern localities affected by Typhoon Yagi, joined the national movement to eliminate dilapidated houses, and contributed to the Fund for the Poor, among other charity and social activities.

3. People's Council promptly issue policies to bring NA resolutions and regulations of the central government to life

During 2024, the People's Council issued 46 resolutions to implement specific mechanisms and policies in the fields of investment, finance, urban areas, science and technology.

These resolutions have helped mobilize resources and remove obstacles in the implementation of key projects, significantly contributing socio-economic development of the municipality.

4. The city economy on right track of sustainable development, with debut of Center for Industrial Revolution (C4IR)

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (C) and secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen (R) and city’s People Committee chairman Phan Van Mai at the inauguration ceremony for the Center for Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in the city on September 25, 2024. Photo: VNA

The city economy continued to recover and develop after the COVID-19 pandemic, with its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) estimated to rise by 7.17 percent from 2023.

The total state budget revenue hit around VND508 trillion (US$19.94 billion), five percent higher than the year’s target, while e-commerce turnover grew by 52 percent, or 10 percent higher than the national average.

On September 25, the city inaugurated the C4IR, which is expected to create a new driving force for sustainable development.

5. Digital transformation, administrative reform gain significant achievements 

According to the bi-annual 2024 United Nations e-Government Survey report, the city ranked 53th in Online Service Index (LOSI) among the 152 typical cities of the countries surveyed in the year, one position higher than in the 2022 report that surveyed 146 municipalities.

The city deployed the Microchip Development Program in the High-Tech Park for the period 2025-30, helping the semiconductor microchip further penetrate into the global supply chain. 

On November 14, the city also officially launched the Ho Chi Minh City Digital Citizen application, boosting communication between authorities and people.  

The city recorded around 2,000 start-up businesses in 2024, accounting for 50 percent of the country’s total, and the value of its startup ecosystem reached $5.22 billion in the year, ranking third in Southeast Asia.

In addition, administrative reform has been sped up, with the public satisfaction rate reaching 98 percent in terms of handling feedback and recommendations and 97 percent for receiving and resolving administrative procedures.

6. Metro line No. 1 officially put in commercial operation

This image shows a part of Ho Chi Minh City’s metro line No. 1 when it was officially put into commercial operation on December 22, 2024. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre

The city’s first metro line began official operation on December 22 after 12 years of construction, marking a historic milestone in the urban transport sector.

The metro line No. 1 spans 19.7 kilometers, including 2.6 kilometers of underground railway and 17.1 kilometers of elevated track.

It has 17 trains, each of which consists of three carriages that can accommodate a total 930 passengers, including 147 sitting and 783 standing. 

The trains can reach maximum speeds of 110kph on elevated sections and 80kph in underground areas.

The line, the first of the city’s eight planned urban railway projects, began construction in August 2012 with a total investment of VND43,700 billion (US$1.72 billion), most of which came from Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) loans.

7. Social order-related crimes reduce significantly

In Ho Chi Minh City, social order violations dropped sharply at a rate of eight percent annually from 2014 to 2024, with last year registering the biggest reduction ratio.  

Over the first 11 months of 2024, 3,995 crimes of this category were documented, down 22 percent from 2023.

Local police have proposed many solutions to combat drugs and drug-related crimes.

The municipal police department was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the State on August 17.

8. Significant activities to celebrates great anniversaries 

On the 70th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7), Ho Chi Minh City built a rural power grid project for northern Dien Bien Province’s Dien Bien Dong District with a total cost of VND50 billion ($1.96 million).

In addition, the city allocated VND85 billion ($3.33 million) to the construction of works at some Dien Bien Phu relic areas in the province.

The city’s Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee also built 10 social houses worth VND10 billion ($392,500) in total in Dien Bien, while the municipal People’s Council donated an information technology facility with 70 computers to Noong Het Secondary School in the province.

On celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army and the 35th anniversary of the National Defense Day (December 22), Ho Chi Minh City organized activities such as soldier meetings, a Book Week introducing the army, and an exhibition of 200 pictures to feature the 80-year history of the army. 

9. Ho Chi Minh City becomes member of UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC), strives to make itself ASEAN regional healthcare center

On February 14, UNESCO announced a list of 64 cities from 35 countries recognized as members of the GNLC, including Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam.

2024 also marked the first time in Vietnam that two public hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City met international quality standards recognized by two foreign organizations. 

Hung Vuong Hospital and Blood Transfusion - Hematology Hospital were recognized by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International and the U.S.-based Joint Commission International after their doctors successfully performed the interventional cardiac catheterization techniques for fetuses with congenital heart disease.

The achievement is one of the efforts to develop the city into an ASEAN regional healthcare center in the future.  

10. Ho Chi Minh City a center of culture, tourism, sports, festivals, events 

Ho Chi Minh City is one of first localities in Vietnam that have approved and implemented projects for cultural industry development.

It has organized many major cultural and tourism events with the participation of a large audience, such as the Hozo International Music Festival, ‘Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai’ (Call Me By Fire), ‘Anh trai say hi’ (Say Hi to Bros), the Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival, and the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival, among others. 

Its tourism revenue in 2024 was estimated to reach VND190 trillion ($7.46 billion), an increase of 19 percent from 2023.

The local tourism industry received many international awards in 2024, including Asia's Leading Business Tourism Destination; Asia's Leading Festival and Event Destination, and Asia's Leading City Tourism Board.

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