Hai Phong to create growth momentum and expand development potential

Remarkable achievements

Hai Phong maintained strong economic growth in the first half of 2026 despite continued global economic uncertainties. The city's gross regional domestic product (GRDP) expanded by 11.33%, the highest first-half growth rate in the past five years, ranking first among Vietnam's centrally-governed cities and third nationwide.

The results reflect the effectiveness of the city's comprehensive measures to promote socio-economic development, improve the investment climate, accelerate public investment disbursement and advance key projects. At the same time, Hai Phong's strengths in seaports and logistics services continued to attract substantial domestic and foreign investment.

Growth drivers remained broadly balanced. The industrial and construction sector expanded by 13.46%, while the service sector grew by 10.24%. State budget revenue reached VND113.55214 trillion, exceeding the city's first-half target.

While many localities still rely heavily on a limited number of key industries, Hai Phong has gradually developed a multi-pillar growth model based on industry, services, logistics, investment and administrative reform.

These achievements are even more significant as Hai Phong continued to rank first nationwide in both the Public Administration Reform Index and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administrative Services, while also placing among the country's top five localities for economic governance quality, according to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This demonstrates that the city's growth is driven not only by its seaport advantages and investment inflows but also by increasingly effective governance and a transparent investment environment.

Turning policies into growth momentum

At the fourth conference of the city Party Committee held in early July, Le Ngoc Chau, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the city Party Committee and Head of the city Delegation of National Assembly Deputies, emphasized that the second half of the year would be the decisive period for achieving the city's growth target.

The city Party Committee is considering issuing a resolution to achieve GRDP growth of 13% or higher. The Secretary of the city Party Committee called for an immediate action plan and decisive measures to ensure effective implementation of the resolution, while maintaining the target of at least 13% annual growth to support average annual growth of 13 – 14% during the 2026 – 2030 period.

That determination will be translated into concrete actions at the city People's Council's mid-year 2026 regular session. Council members will consider and decide on a number of important resolutions, including those reviewing the implementation of the city's socio-economic development plan in the first half of the year and setting key tasks and solutions for the remainder of 2026.

Other agenda items include land rent exemptions and reductions for socialized service providers and nonprofit projects, as well as criteria for foreign experts, scientists, talented professionals, managers and highly skilled workers employed by enterprises headquartered in the Hai Phong Free Trade Zone.

Building on the foundation established during the first half of the year and the key decisions expected to be approved at the session, Hai Phong is steadily turning political commitment into concrete action. These efforts will expand the city's long-term development potential, reinforce its role as one of Vietnam's major growth poles and lay the foundation for its ambition to become one of Southeast Asia's leading cities by 2030.

BUI HUONG