The past six months may be considered one of the most eventful periods for Hai Phong: the merger with Hai Duong, the abolition of the district level and the establishment of 114 communes, wards and special zones, alongside continued streamlining of organisations and the political system. Yet, rising above it all with unity, resilience and determination, Hai Phong has continued to make breakthrough progress and become one of the country’s bright spots. This result once again shows how the heroic Port City’s tradition of courage and victory, together with the cultural heritage of the Eastern land, is being strongly promoted as the city asserts itself and moves forward.
Growing economic potential
What is remarkable is that, despite an enormous workload, extremely tight deadlines and intense pressure, Hai Phong has remained calm and acted with dynamism, creativity and resolve, using effectiveness as its measure. It has pursued two tasks in parallel: streamlining the organisation and developing the economy and society, while maintaining social stability and strengthening public confidence. Encouragingly, despite such changes, Hai Phong has successfully achieved many socio-economic development targets.
More Hai Phong deep-water berths entered operation in the first six months
The city’s economic recovery and fairly strong growth are a bright spot. Six-month GRDP reached VND 209.668 trillion, up 11.2% year on year and ranking second nationwide. Eastern Hai Phong contributed VND 146.903 trillion, up 11.04%, while Western Hai Phong contributed VND 62.764 trillion, up 11.59%. This further confirms Hai Phong’s position as the country’s third-largest economy.
Notably, budget revenue exceeded VND 100.994 trillion, equal to 68.5% of the central government’s annual estimate and 61.2% of the target estimate, up 32.7% year on year. Import-export tax revenue reached VND 41.341 trillion, equal to 62% of the central estimate and 55% of the target estimate, up 29.5%. Domestic revenue reached VND 58.383 trillion, equal to 78.2% of the central estimate and 70.3% of the target estimate, up 37.7%. These results clearly demonstrate Hai Phong’s internal vitality after the merger.
Another notable bright spot was the city’s breakthrough in economic-zone and industrial-park development projects. Hai Phong completed procedures to establish eight industrial parks and two industrial clusters. In particular, the establishment of the Southern Hai Phong Coastal Economic Zone, together with National Assembly Resolution No. 226 of 27 June 2025 on piloting special mechanisms and policies for Hai Phong’s development—including a mechanism to establish a free trade zone and the expected specialised economic zone—will provide an important foundation for the city to shift to a modern development model based on high technology, logistics and international services.
Industrial production also recorded positive results, with the six-month industrial production index rising 14.6%, especially in processing and manufacturing. Many businesses accelerated production to fulfil export orders to the United States. Major projects entering production included LG Innotek’s Factory No. 3, Biel Crystal Co., Ltd.’s protective glass panel factory and Boviet HD Co., Ltd.’s photovoltaic cell factory.
The newly opened Hoang Gia Bridge, invested in by Vingroup, connects the city centre with Vu Yen Island
Another outstanding and encouraging result was investment attraction. Foreign investment reached nearly USD 1.5 billion, while domestic investment exceeded VND 291 trillion. Eastern Hai Phong attracted more than VND 276 trillion, 12.2 times the level in the same period of 2024; Western Hai Phong reached VND 14.555 trillion, up 85.2%. The results show a surge in domestically funded investment projects, with 51 new projects and 121 capital-increase rounds, demonstrating Hai Phong’s strong appeal.
Anyone visiting Hai Phong today can see the vitality of the country’s third-largest metropolitan area. Never before has Hai Phong had so many urban development projects, concentrated in the northern bank of the Cam River, Le Chan, Ngo Quyen, Duong Kinh, Kien Thuy and Hai Duong. Four additional Lach Huyen deep-water berths have entered operation; berths 7 and 8 are under continued development, and the Prime Minister has approved the investment policy for berths 9 through 12.
This is accompanied by the expansion of Cat Bi Airport; major logistics centres in Dinh Vu–Cat Hai, southern Dinh Vu and VSIP; the Ninh Giang logistics centre and inland waterway port project; the Kinh Mon logistics service centre, warehouse and petroleum port; and the Cao Xa Station and Cam Giang logistics centre.
The new Hai Phong Convention and Performance Centre has begun operation and can host national and international events
Many major works have entered operation, including the Political and Administrative Centre, Convention and Performance Centre, Hoang Gia Bridge, tourism and commercial projects, and the Vu Yen entertainment area. The active implementation of the Lao Cai–Hanoi–Hai Phong high-speed railway project shows a new Hai Phong full of momentum and developing with remarkable strength.
Culture, healthcare, education and social security have also continued to receive close attention and achieved positive results. The city successfully organised large-scale cultural and artistic activities, notably the 2025 Hai Phong Red Flamboyant Festival, and received the prestigious title of Heroic City, helping preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of the Eastern land and the Port City. Education and training remained stable; the proportions of excellent students, graduates and university entrants continued to rank among the country’s highest. Support policies for vulnerable groups were implemented consistently and effectively. These are evidence of balanced development between economic growth and social progress and equity, in the spirit of the 13th Party Congress Resolution.
Focus on transition, stability and development
From 1 July, the new Hai Phong City was officially established through the merger of Hai Phong and Hai Duong, covering nearly 3,200 square kilometres and having a population of 4.66 million. It also comprises 114 communes, wards and special zones. The city’s departments, boards and sectors have been reorganised and consolidated.
Comrade Le Tien Chau, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the City Party Committee and Head of the Hai Phong National Assembly Delegation, requested that the city quickly shift to stable development, focusing all resources on the key political tasks of 2025 and the years ahead.
Granting investment registration certificates to 32 projects and signing seven memoranda of understanding worth USD 15.6 billion marked Hai Phong’s outstanding investment-attraction success
Three core objectives are prioritised: successfully organising Party congresses at all levels as a firm foundation for the 2025–2030 City Party Congress and the 14th National Party Congress; rapidly stabilising government organisations at all levels under the new model to ensure smooth, disciplined and uninterrupted operations and improve service quality for residents and businesses; and maintaining economic growth while improving social security and people’s living standards.
To achieve these objectives, Hai Phong still faces many obstacles and challenges. Although the new government apparatus is basically complete, it continues to face difficulties involving offices, equipment, software and human-resource quality. Newly issued and substantially amended laws affect operational effectiveness; the risk of workload overload at commune level is real and requires urgent solutions, while institutional and administrative-process integration after the merger remains challenging. Housing and travel for officials working far from home also remain difficult and unresolved.
Chairing the second City Party Committee conference last week, Secretary Le Tien Chau agreed with the City People’s Committee Party Committee’s proposal to strive for annual 2025 GRDP growth of at least 12.35%. He asked the entire political system to focus intensely, mobilise maximum resources, promptly remove barriers and implement the planned tasks decisively and effectively, helping maintain the country’s northern development-leader role.
To reach this goal, the Secretary directed the urgent completion in July 2025 of the implementation plan for National Assembly Resolution No. 226 on piloting special mechanisms and policies for Hai Phong; completion in the third quarter of 2025 of the proposal to establish a new-generation free trade zone in Hai Phong; and submission of the specialised economic-zone proposal for approval by the competent authority in 2025.
The city must also review and adjust planning as required; prepare a new Hai Phong master plan and city plan to replace those approved by the Prime Minister; prepare subordinate-level plans after the merger; and complete them in 2025.
At the same time, it must urgently complete financial and budget mechanisms suited to the two-tier local-government model, clearly assign revenues and spending responsibilities among budget levels, establish open, transparent, stable, balanced and sustainable budget-allocation principles and norms, and study a mechanism for assigning budget-revenue targets to localities for early submission to the City People’s Council.
Imported cars passing through Hai Phong ports
The city will proactively work with investors in newly established but not-yet-operational industrial parks, industrial clusters and seaports to assign schedules and responsibilities, aiming to start construction in 2025. It will strengthen investment promotion, develop the private economy, improve productivity within sectors and encourage innovation. Public-investment disbursement, especially for major and interregional projects, must be accelerated, while obstacles must be resolved urgently and the coastal expressway project prepared and implemented on the basis of upgrading the coastal high-speed road.
In agriculture and the environment, the Secretary directed continued proposals for a comprehensive shift toward large-scale, commodity-oriented agricultural production; removal of land bottlenecks; study of state investment support for agriculture so cooperatives and businesses gradually become important producers; and faster implementation of modern waste-treatment plants.
The Secretary requested proactive review and reform of internal procedures, process reduction, improved service quality and preservation of the city’s rankings in provincial competitiveness and administrative reform.
For social, cultural and educational fields, he requested a focus on eliminating poverty under the national poverty standard and preparing a strong dossier for UNESCO recognition of Trạng Trình Nguyen Binh Khiem.
The city will also review and propose adjustments to City Party Committee resolutions and projects so they fit the merger context, including primary healthcare capacity, social and worker housing, vocational training and employment, a clean, strong, regular, elite and modern Hai Phong police force, and building a drug-free city.
Despite difficulties and challenges, with resilience, intelligence, resolve and a strong forward drive, Hai Phong is certain to achieve major accomplishments in 2025./.
Source: Hai Phong Security Newspaper