The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City unveiled the top 10 events of the southern metropolis in 2019 at a recent press conference.

Duong Anh Duc, Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, said the events have provided a picture of the city across spheres, ranging from politics to economy, national defence, culture-society, urban development and external affairs.

The remarkable events comprise:

1. In 2019, HCM City effectively implemented the theme of “a breakthrough year for administrative reform and realise the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 54.”

The city issued 40 interconnected procedures at the Office of the municipal People’s Committee and raised the rate of procedures handled via online public services at levels 3 and 4 to 33.51 percent, fulfilling the set target.

2. The City organised various events to mark the 50-year implementation of President Ho Chi Minh’s Testament, with the most noteworthy the organisation of 10 trips to the late leader’s homeland for more than 800 role models in this regard.

Up to 1,388 collectives and 2,657 individuals were honoured in recognition of their efforts in the implementation work.

3. HCM City completed and over-fulfilled many major targets. Its State budget collection surpassed the target of 400 trillion VND (17.28 billion USD) for the first time to 412.17 trillion VND, making up more than 27 percent of the country’s total amount.

Meanwhile, the city’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) exceeded 1.34 quadrillion VND, up 8.32 percent year-on-year. A total of 8.3 billion USD in foreign investment was funneled into the locality, a rise of 39 percent from the previous year, and 8.5 million tourists flocked to the city in 2019, up 14 percent.

4. HCM City continued to maintain national defence-security, social order and safety. The number of criminal violations dropped 8.25 percent and this is the fifth consecutive year the rate has decreased. Besides, more than 1,500 drug cases were busted in the year, involving 6,600 people, 345kg of heroin and1.3 tonnes of methamphetamine.

5. HCM City focused on stepping up smart city building. In implementing the project on turning HCM City into a smart city, the locality completed the construction of a common data warehouse, an open data ecosystem, a monitoring centre for the smart city, a socio-economic simulation and forecast centre, and the Ho Chi Minh City Security Control Centre.

6. HCM City intensified solutions to build a smart city and a pure and strong municipal Party Committee, with the participation of the entire political system in the locality.

7. The first Ho Chi Minh City Creative Awards was launched, reflecting the city’s huge potential for innovation and reform. The 44 winning works cover such sectors as economy, social affairs, national defence-security, culture-arts, administrative reform, communications, innovative startup and basic science.

8. The Ho Chi Minh City press centre, the first of its kind, was put into operation on May 5.

9. HCM City successfully organised diplomatic events. In the year, the city welcomed 108 international delegations and hosted more than 50 diplomatic events. It also organised overseas trips for 19 high-level delegations, along with many festivals to promote its culture and image.

10. HCM City made outstanding performance in the sphere of culture-sports, with activities like the 100th centennial celebration of reformed opera participated by more than 400 artists, an “Ao Dai” (traditional long dress) festival, the first orchid festival and an international music festival.