Ho Chi Minh City held a scientific conference on June 25 to review the 50 years since the city was renamed after President Ho Chi Minh, celebrating its historical milestones, development achievements and exploring breakthrough policies for the next phase of growth.

The conference, titled 50 Years of Ho Chi Minh City Bearing President Ho Chi Minh's Name: Historical Milestones, Development Aspirations and Institutional Breakthroughs, commemorated the National Assembly's 1976 decision to rename Saigon - Gia Dinh as Ho Chi Minh City.

Challenges overcome and achievements celebrated

Opening the conference, Truong Minh Huy Vu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, said July 2 will mark the 50th anniversary of Saigon - Gia Dinh officially being renamed Ho Chi Minh City.

He described the anniversary as a sacred milestone expressing the people's gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh while recognizing the city's special role in Vietnam's national liberation and development.

"The past half-century has been an extraordinary journey marked by many challenges, achievements and aspirations. Following the merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau on July 1, 2025, together with Politburo Resolution No. 09, the new Ho Chi Minh City enters a new position with renewed confidence, broader vision and stronger momentum," Vu said.

The conference focused on four major themes.

The first reviewed the city's history over the past five decades, highlighting achievements, strengths and lessons learned.

The second examined the city's ambition to become a smart, green, modern and globally connected megacity while serving as Vietnam's core urban centre.

The third explored institutional reforms needed to support the city's transformation into a multi-centre megacity following the administrative merger, including a more flexible legal framework to improve governance and remove development bottlenecks.

The fourth addressed quality of life, urban renewal, public infrastructure, ageing, environmental issues and water resources.

Looking back on five decades of development

Former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and former Chairman of the City People's Council Pham Chanh Truc reflected on the city's most significant milestones over the past 50 years.

According to Truc, one of the city's greatest contributions was theoretical. Practical efforts to restore the economy after reunification helped shape new policy thinking that later laid the foundation for Vietnam's Doi Moi reforms in 1986. He said this remains an important subject deserving further research.

He also highlighted a series of socio-economic achievements, including per capita income rising from USD100 in 1990 to around USD8,000 in 2025, the establishment of Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone in 1991, and the Ho Chi Minh City Hi-Tech Park, which now accounts for nearly half of the city's export value after more than two decades of operation.

Truc also cited the city's recognition as a UNESCO Global Learning City, advances in healthcare including the landmark separation surgery of conjoined twins Viet and Duc, the role of the Youth Volunteer Force in restoring the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve, and the widespread development of Ho Chi Minh Cultural Spaces across the city.

Associate Professor, Colonel Nguyen Tran Hieu, Vice Rector of the People's Security University, reviewed the city's efforts over the past five decades to maintain security and social order while creating a favourable environment for foreign investment and international integration.

He said the city's police force had successfully safeguarded national security, reduced crime and led administrative reforms and population data digitalisation.

At the same time, Hieu identified new challenges, including increasingly sophisticated hostile activities in cyberspace, high-tech crime, illicit financial activities, staffing requirements under the new two-tier local government model and the goal of building a drug-free city by 2030.

He proposed strengthening the all-people security framework, improving coordination among agencies, enhancing early detection and prevention, intensifying efforts against drug-related and financial crimes, and continuing to build a professional, modern and capable police force.

The conference also featured presentations by other experts reviewing Ho Chi Minh City's development over the past 50 years and discussing institutional reforms and policy initiatives to support the city's next stage of growth as a megacity.

Phuoc Sang