Hanoi aims for innovation and sustainability

On the occasion of the opening of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam in Hanoi, Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Duy Ngoc spoke with the press about the Capital’s outstanding achievements during the past term and reaffirmed Hanoi’s pioneering political responsibility in internalizing and concretizing the Central Committee’s strategic vision and orientations.

Guided by the motto “Discipline and professionalism – Breakthrough and innovation – Effectiveness and sustainability,” Hanoi has demonstrated strong determination in action, fully leveraging its role as the nation’s political and administrative center and a leading growth engine, laying the groundwork and creating momentum for national development in the new era.

Looking back on the 13th Party Congress term and 40 years of renewal, how do you assess Hanoi’s contributions to the country’s overall achievements?

The term of the 13th National Party Congress and the 40-year journey of Doi Moi have marked a crucial, comprehensive and breakthrough phase of national development, affirming the mettle, intellect and aspiration for advancement of the Vietnamese nation. As the Capital and the heart of the country, Hanoi has always been deeply aware of its pioneering and exemplary responsibility in implementing the Central Committee’s guidelines and resolutions, especially the strategic decisions of the Politburo, the Secretariat and the General Secretary, thereby generating spillover momentum nationwide.

Building on its potential and strengths, and drawing on traditions of solidarity, resilience and creativity, the Party organization, authorities and people of Hanoi have overcome numerous difficulties and challenges, successfully implementing the Resolution of the 17th Hanoi Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term.

Notably, 2025 marked a breakthrough year. Hanoi took the lead in reorganizing the administrative apparatus and implementing the two-tier local government model, consolidating 526 wards, communes and townships into 126 units. The two-tier local government system has become operational, gradually addressing bottlenecks, pioneering decentralization and delegation of authority, advancing administrative reform and digital transformation, and ushering in a new mindset and approach to development-oriented governance, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of services for citizens and businesses.

Despite simultaneously undertaking many unprecedented tasks, the city ensured the smooth functioning of all activities, met major development targets and safeguarded three pillars: robust economic growth, national defense and security, and social welfare.

For the first time in many years, Hanoi met and exceeded all 24 key socio-economic targets. GRDP growth reached 8.16 percent, surpassing the 8 percent target and well above the 2024 level of 6.52 percent. The city’s economic scale reached approximately USD 63.5 billion, while per capita income rose to USD 7,200. State budget revenue totaled VND 711 trillion, equivalent to 138.4 percent of the estimate-the highest in many years-while public investment disbursement approached VND 90 trillion, exceeding the Prime Minister-assigned plan at 106.8 percent.

The 14th National Party Congress, held in Hanoi, is seen as opening a new era of national advancement. How has the city prepared itself to be worthy of launching this historic journey?

These days, Hanoi is immersed in a particularly momentous political atmosphere, as the entire Party, people and armed forces focus on the 14th National Party Congress, a historic event shaping the strategic vision and action program for the country’s new development phase.

For Hanoi, this is not only the honor of hosting the Congress, but also the highest political responsibility before the entire Party and nation. After 40 years of renewal, Viet Nam has accumulated sufficient strength and momentum to enter a new phase of vigorous development. As the nation’s “heart,” Hanoi must be the earliest and clearest embodiment of the spirit, vision and reform requirements set by the 14th Congress.

The shared mindset across the city’s political system and population can be summed up in two words: readiness and pioneering spirit. Hanoi is fully prepared to ensure the Congress is held safely, solemnly and effectively, while also taking the lead in swiftly and effectively translating the Congress’s resolutions into reality.

From the very first weeks and months of 2026, the city proactively and decisively rolled out key political tasks, translating the Central Committee’s guiding principles into concrete municipal action programs. In line with General Secretary To Lam’s directive, “Hanoi says it will act, acts quickly, acts correctly, acts effectively, and follows through to the end”, the Hanoi Party Committee and the entire political system have demonstrated high political resolve, bold initiative and accountability, spearheading the realization of the Party’s strategic vision and turning the nation’s aspiration for prosperity into tangible outcomes that citizens can see, feel and benefit from.

At its recent fourth conference, the Hanoi Party Committee focused on the “trilogy” of institutions, a 100-year vision master plan, and a development model. Is this a systematic preparation for Hanoi to lead in the new era?

Indeed. To truly rise in the new era, alongside key political tasks, the city’s Party Committee has identified and prioritized three strategic, long-term pillars: proposing a new resolution to replace Politburo Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW (May 5, 2022) on directions and tasks for Capital development to 2030 with a vision to 2045; amending the Capital Law; and formulating a 100-year master plan for Hanoi.

This “three-legged stool” establishes a synchronized institutional foundation, opens new development space, and shapes a modern growth model, creating momentum and room for Hanoi’s breakthrough development.

The 100-year master plan goes beyond urban-rural spatial design to define the Capital’s long-term stature, identity and socio-economic structure, positioning Hanoi within close linkages to the Capital Region, the nation and the international community. On that basis, institutions-centered on Politburo resolutions and the Capital Law, serve as the political and legal pillars to fundamentally remove policy bottlenecks and provide robust frameworks and tools to translate strategic orientations into sustainable, far-reaching development drivers.

Accordingly, the development model is shifting from resource- and scale-based growth toward science- and technology-driven growth, innovation, digital transformation and high-quality human resources as core engines. With the approach “Breakthrough action, results with spillover impact,” the city is crafting scenarios to achieve double-digit growth (11 percent or higher in 2026) and sustain it over multiple years, requiring substantial social investment capital estimated at around VND 730 trillion in 2026 alone.

To this end, Hanoi is accelerating digital infrastructure, smart urban development, urban rail systems, and green, digital and circular economy models, while issuing an action plan to implement Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW (December 22, 2024) on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation in 2026. This comprehensive preparation ensures that Hanoi not only develops itself but also fulfills its role as a locomotive driving the Capital Region and the nation forward.

To translate these strategic orientations into reality, how decisive are human factors, the cadre contingent and public consensus?

No matter how meticulously designed, long-term plans and special mechanisms will remain on paper without a cadre contingent of sufficient integrity and capability, and without public support. Hanoi consistently regards cadre work as the “key of all keys,” striving to build a team that is politically steadfast, ethically grounded, professionally competent, innovative and courageous enough to think, act and take responsibility for the common good amid digital transformation and deep international integration.

The reality of 2025 vividly demonstrated this. Many tasks were entirely new and challenging, initially met with doubts. Yet when the entire Party organization showed resolve and the political system and people acted in unison, Hanoi achieved results beyond expectations. These figures reflect not only economic growth but, more profoundly, the strength of national unity and the alignment of will and action across society.

Entering 2026, the first year of implementing the 14th National Party Congress resolution, Hanoi has set a clear action motto: “Discipline and professionalism – Breakthrough and innovation – Effectiveness and sustainability,” requiring synchronized operations across the Party, People’s Council, People’s Committee, and the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations, especially in tackling difficult tasks under the “six clear principles, one consistent thread,” with regular supervision and evaluation to ensure substantive outcomes.

Thank you for the interview!

($1 = VND 26,057. Source: Vietcombank, January 19, 2026)