Hai Phong (VNA) – The northern port city of Hai Phong hasachieved high growth in the first six months of 2018 and is moving towardsestablishing itself as the third largest city in the country, an international tradehub and a driving force for national development, according to the head of thecity’s People’s Council.

Opening the 7th session of the 15th-tenure People’sCouncil of the city on July 10, Chairman of the council and Secretary of themunicipal Party Committee Le Van Thanh said all economic indexes of the city showedhigh increases that met or exceeded targets. At this pace, the city expects tofulfil the targets set by the 15th Congress of the municipal Partyorganisation for the entire tenure.

Attending the session’s opening meeting, National Assembly ChairwomanNguyen Thi Kim Ngan hailed the fast development of the city, which she said hadcontributed greatly to the national socio-economic development and motivatedthe growth in the northern coastal region.  

The top legislator highlighted the city’s GRDP growth of 16.03 percentin the first half of the year, which is more than twice the national rate. HaiPhong also attracted 1.25 billion USD in foreign investment in the period. Thecity’s infrastructure has improved remarkably with many major projectscompleted and put into use.

However, she said in the current situation with new requirements for thecity’s development, Hai Phong needs new mechanisms and policies. The NA leadersuggested that following the People’s Council’s 7th session, the PartyCommittee, the People’s Council and the People’s Committee of Hai Phong should setout to study new solutions to continue driving the city forward.

She urged the municipal People’s Council to be more proactive andcreative in its work, especially in conducting supervision andquestion-&-answer, and deciding on important issues.

The NA chairwoman also asked the council to continue to reform the wayit works with voters, receives citizens and supervises the settlement ofcitizens’ complaints and petitions.

She added that the NA always encourages local People’s Councils toobserve question-&-answer sessions at the national legislature so that theycan draw out lessons for their own work.   

Chairwoman Ngan laid emphasis on the organisation of vote of confidencefor positions elected and approved by the People’s Council. She required HaiPhong People’s Council to make careful preparation for this work, adding thatthe NA Standing Committee will hold a conference to guide People’s Councils atall levels in how to organize mid-term votes of confidence.

The NA leader also called attention to the need for a streamlined andeffective political apparatus, and reminded the city to pay attention to thetraining of People’s Council deputies, particularly those who are young andinexperienced.

During the two-day session, the Hai Phong People’s Council will examine areport of the municipal People’s Committee on the city’s socio-economic andsecurity-defence performance in the first half of the year and directions andtasks and targets for the remaining six months.  

The deputies will also give opinion on and approve thematic resolutionson the city’s socio-economic development and a resolution on the council’ssupervision programme in 2019.

Also during the session, a number of officials of the municipal People’sCommittee will be required to answer questions about issues in areas in their management.-VNA