Accelerating growth at start of Spring

There is no pause awaiting the new year, no “after Tet” mentality. Hai Phong moves immediately, working early and operating under the pressure of the entire year from the very first weeks. This is not merely a matter of enthusiasm, it is a deliberate choice in governance.

That message is most evident in concrete actions taken during the final week before Tet. In the first month of the year alone, the city recorded nearly USD 413 million in foreign direct investment (FDI), exceeding its monthly target. The figure is more than symbolic “first-luck” revenue; it signals that capital flows continue uninterrupted, unaffected by early-year psychology. The investment environment remains consistent, and time is treated as a genuine competitive advantage rather than a rhetorical concept.

Alongside investment attraction, the acceleration of public investment disbursement has been mandated from the outset. There is no waiting until the second quarter to push progress, no allowing projects to idle pending procedural completion. Works are reviewed early, timelines are calculated monthly, and investor responsibilities are emphasized from day one. This approach reflects a shift in governance — from year-end surges to steady execution beginning in the earliest months.

In administrative management, the requirement to resume work immediately after Tet is explicit and concrete: no backlog of dossiers, no disruption of services, no celebratory gatherings during working hours. These seemingly routine instructions, when emphasized just before Tet, carry a clear message. The administrative apparatus cannot afford delays, as any lag directly affects citizens, businesses, and ultimately the city’s annual growth targets.

This approach is even more significant given that 2026 marks the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress. For Hai Phong, it is not only the start of a new development phase but also a year to demonstrate implementation capacity. With a double-digit GRDP growth target set, the question is no longer whether to act, but how to act swiftly and effectively.

Accelerating from the outset is not recklessness; it is rational pressure distribution. When work is evenly allocated from the beginning of the year, the system retains flexibility to resolve bottlenecks, adjust policies, and maintain operational continuity. Conversely, allowing delays to accumulate would result in a burdensome, reactive year-end sprint.

This “no-delay” spirit is not merely rhetorical. Close monitoring of production, proactive stabilization of supply chains, sustained investment promotion, and tightened administrative discipline, even in the final week before Tet demonstrate a governance style that goes straight to execution. Not waiting until after Tet, not allowing the system to “gain momentum” post-holiday, is a practical way of reinforcing confidence among businesses and citizens as they enter a year forecast to bring both significant pressures and opportunities.

From a broader socio-economic perspective, this decisive governance approach creates a ripple effect. Businesses become more proactive in production planning, workers stabilize employment earlier, and markets avoid prolonged post-Tet sluggishness. When the administrative system does not slow down, the economy has little reason to “take a break” either.

Early acceleration does not mean growth at all costs. Effective governance still requires prudence, persistence, and coordinated action across sectors and levels. But with double-digit growth targets set from the outset, prudence cannot equate to hesitation. It must be paired with urgency, determination, and clearly defined accountability.

Thus, the final week before Lunar New Year 2026 is more than a calendar milestone. It reflects the mindset Hai Phong has chosen for a year filled with both high expectations and significant pressures: no warm-up, no waiting but readiness to overcome obstacles from the very beginning and move decisively toward its 2026 goals.

Ha Kien