Hai Phong steps up to achieve growth target

Challenges in the final stretch

The Government has set Hai Phong a target of 15.39% GRDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2026, placing the city among nine localities required to achieve growth of more than 15%. According to a report presented at the City Party Committee’ 5^th session on October 2, the city's GRDP grew by 12.08% in the first nine months of the year, ranking third nationwide and marking its highest growth rate for the same period in the past six years.

Despite maintaining positive growth momentum, several socio-economic indicators remain below projections. This underscores the need to accelerate industrial production, develop businesses and bring investment projects into operation sooner.

Industry remains the main driver of growth, with the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) rising by 15.23% in the first nine months. Under the growth scenario, the city aims for IIP growth of 18% in the fourth quarter, requiring major contributing industries to maintain orders, stabilize their workforces and make effective use of production capacity.

In the first nine months of this year, Hai Phong recorded 5,583 newly registered enterprises. The city aims to establish another 1,920 companies in the fourth quarter, averaging 640 per month, to meet its 2026 target of at least 7,500. Alongside encouraging new business formation, converting eligible business households into enterprises is another area requiring attention.

Investment project progress also affects growth prospects. In the fourth quarter of 2026, approximately 10 new projects are expected to begin production in Hai Phong. Together with capacity expansion at existing projects, their total product value is projected to reach around VND 13.5 trillion. Industrial production value is targeted at VND 194.307 trillion in the fourth quarter, up 25.3% year on year. Achieving this result will depend on completing workshops, installing equipment, recruiting workers and putting production lines into operation on schedule.

Growth potential remains, but obstacles affecting production, business and investment must be promptly addressed.

Firm commitment to the target

With a fourth-quarter IIP growth target of 18% and a full-year target of 15.5 – 16%, the first priority is to maximize the capacity of existing factories. The city needs to continue supporting more than 300 enterprises with annual revenue exceeding VND 1 trillion, closely monitoring their orders, capacity, raw material supplies and workforce needs to resolve difficulties.

For the approximately 10 projects expected to begin operations in the fourth quarter, authorities need to closely monitor progress and promptly resolve obstacles involving administrative procedures, grounds and infrastructure connections. Each factory that begins operating on schedule will add to this year's output while expanding industrial capacity for the next phase of development.

At the City Party Committee’s 5^th session, Secretary of the City Party Committee Le Ngoc Chau emphasized the need to remain steadfast in the full-year GRDP growth target of at least 13%, declaring that the city must “not back down from the target under any circumstances.” He called for stronger mobilization of resources, removal of difficulties of key industrial enterprises, and faster processing of procedures to bring new projects into production.

Effective October 15, Hai Phong required a further reduction of at least 50% in the processing time for administrative procedures related to investment, production and business activities, based on the deadlines already shortened by ministries and agencies. The effectiveness of these reforms must be reflected in the actual time saved by businesses and faster project implementation.

Additional output from factories, more enterprises operating effectively and more completed construction work will help generate the momentum Hai Phong needs to achieve its GRDP growth target of at least 13%.

HA KIEN