Two big things of the capital

PV : Please share your feelings after a difficult 2023, but the achievements that Hanoi has achieved are worth being proud of?

Secretary Dinh Tien Dung: It is true that looking back at this moment, the results that the Party Committee, government and all the people and army of the Capital have united, joined hands and unanimously achieved in the past year are truly something to be proud of.

It can be said that never before have culture, creativity and services been so strongly aroused as in the past year. This is truly a breath of fresh air blowing into the economic life of the Capital.

As a result, the proportion of the service industry has increased to over 65% in the economic structure; services in 2023 increased by 7.26% compared to the previous year and contributed up to 4.69% to GRDP growth. Hanoi tourism has a strong recovery, reaching a total of 24 million visitors (4 million international visitors), an increase of 27% compared to 2022 (an increase of 9.1% compared to the plan), bringing in a total revenue of over 87,000 billion VND.

In the context of the country facing difficulties, the economic growth rate of many localities has decreased, Hanoi still grows steadily, the GRDP growth rate of 6.27% in 2023, although not reaching the city's target, is still higher than the country's general growth rate of 5.05%. People's income, therefore, continues to improve - an average of 150 million VND/person/year.

In 2023, the total state budget revenue in the city exceeded the 400,000 billion VND mark for the first time - reaching more than 410,000 billion VND, of which domestic revenue continued to lead the country with over 381,000 billion VND.

By the end of 2023, the city will have 18/18 districts achieving new rural standards with 382/382 communes meeting new rural standards, 183 meeting advanced new rural standards and 68 communes meeting model new rural standards, social security is ensured, national defense and security in the area are maintained.

PV : The outstanding impression of 2023 is that Hanoi not only performs well its regular and immediate tasks, but also concretizes its strategic thinking and vision into products to prepare for the future in the next 20, 30 years. Up to this point, are you satisfied with the situation and results ?

Secretary Dinh Tien Dung: There are two major issues to mention. Firstly, we have started the investment project to build the Ring Road 4 - Capital Region as planned. This is a strategic project, a driving force for regional connectivity, promoting growth not only for Hanoi.

Recently, I inspected the route through 7 districts in Hanoi and along the route through the two provinces of Bac Ninh and Hung Yen, working with the parties, in general, the progress is very positive. All 3 provinces and cities have completed site clearance for over 93% of the area, of which Hanoi has completed the highest rate - over 96%; all 3 provinces and cities are determined to strive to complete site clearance work before March 31, 2024.

Along the entire parallel route, Hanoi has organized 32 construction teams, including 2 road construction teams and 9 bridge construction teams; Bac Ninh and Hung Yen will also deploy construction teams along the entire route in January, at the latest in the first quarter of 2024. With the current progress, we will complete the parallel road of Ring Road 4 in 2025.

The difficulty of soil and sand materials for construction has also been resolved in the past year. In the coming time, we will review and supplement them to support the two provinces of Hung Yen and Bac Ninh if necessary. However, with the procedures related to the PPP component project, we still need the support and acceleration of the central ministries and branches.

Second, the city has taken a very important step to realize the vision and aspiration for developing the Capital with three major contents: Coordinating the development of the draft Law on the Capital (amended) to remove institutional difficulties; Adjusting the Master Plan for the construction of the Capital to 2045, with a vision to 2065, and establishing the Hanoi Capital Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050 to arrange development space.

All three of these tasks have so far yielded good results. The draft Law on the Capital (amended) was discussed by the National Assembly with high consensus at the 6th Session. The City People's Council has approved the Adjustment of the Master Plan for the Capital Construction to 2045, with a vision to 2065. As for the Hanoi Capital Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, important reports have been completed.

The city is aiming to submit and have these three important contents approved by the National Assembly at the seventh session taking place in May 2024. These are very important and historic matters, deciding the sustainable and long-term development of the capital.

Creating new growth poles

PV : Along with the Law on the Capital (amended), Hanoi's future depends a lot on the Adjustment of the Master Plan for the Capital Construction to 2045, with a vision to 2065, and the establishment of the Hanoi Capital Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050. In this very important part, what is the highlight that the City Party Committee has identified, sir?

Secretary Dinh Tien Dung: We all know that focusing on three major contents with strategic vision this time is a breakthrough; practically concretizing Resolution No. 15-NQ/TU of the Politburo on the direction and tasks of developing the Capital as well as Resolution No. 30-NQ/TU of the Politburo on socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security in the Red River Delta with the responsibility of the Capital and the spirit of "Hanoi for the whole country".

The highlight throughout the planning is to realize the aspiration to develop a truly "Cultured - Civilized - Modern" Capital.

The unified viewpoint is that once planned, it must be linked with resources and implemented. Along with the 5 development axes, Hanoi is determined to develop the 2 cities directly under its management: the city north of the Red River (Me Linh - Soc Son - Dong Anh) and the city in the West (Hoa Lac - Xuan Mai).

For the North Red River city, the favorable condition is that Dong Anh district has met all the necessary conditions to become a district. Currently, many large projects in this area are being implemented. This will be a city with the function of a service urban area, international integration associated with Noi Bai International Gateway Airport, the national economic corridor associated with the development driving axis Nhat Tan - Noi Bai; the main nature and function is a smart urban area.

For the western city, the Government and the Ministry of Science and Technology have recently handed over the management and exploitation of Hoa Lac High-Tech Park to Hanoi, creating conditions for the city to implement this plan.

With its large scale and ability to become the core of innovation, a center for training high-quality human resources, a center for scientific research and high technology of the whole country, Hoa Lac High-Tech Park will be the core of the Western city. When the Capital Law (amended) is passed, we will have more mechanisms to bring universities and academies here, then the Western city will soon be formed...

By focusing on building these two cities, we will create new growth poles, revive the surrounding disadvantaged areas, implement the policy of even development and, importantly, expand the population density in the core area of ​​the capital...

Along with urban development, we will plan to further clarify the development orientation of the capital's rural areas, associated with effectively exploiting natural conditions, preserving and promoting the identity of traditional cultural regions, improving people's lives...

PV : Infrastructure development is one of the strategic breakthroughs. Along with focusing on investing in Ring Road 4, what is the city's orientation in this field?

Secretary Dinh Tien Dung: The general policy of the city this term is to try to close the Ring Roads. Ring Road 1 and Ring Road 2 are basically completed, Ring Road 3 has a 14km section in Dong Anh district, the city decided to finish it with budget money.

The Belt Road 4 is being vigorously implemented. The gateway routes to the capital must also be improved. The city has decided to invest in the section from Ha Dong to Xuan Mai to be widened like the Nguyen Trai section, the section from the end of Thang Long Avenue to the Hanoi - Hoa Binh Expressway will also be widened like that. In the southern region, we will continue to work on the section from Ha Dong, through Thanh Tri...

In addition, we must focus on carrying out procedures to soon invest in building bridges over the Red River, strengthening important connecting infrastructure such as Tu Lien Bridge, Ngoc Hoi Bridge, Thuong Cat Bridge... At the same time, we must coordinate to soon deploy the construction of 3 bridges over the Red River and Duong River on Ring Road 4, including Me So Bridge, Hong Ha Bridge over the Red River and Hoai Thuong Bridge over the Duong River.

These are three important bridges for connecting and putting into operation along the Ring Road 4 parallel road. However, because these three bridges are part of the Public Investment Sub-project in the Component 3 (PPP) of the Ring Road 4 project, the progress is slow. The city is proposing to the Prime Minister to allow the implementation of these public investment sub-projects in the PPP Project as a normal public investment project to shorten the progress.

Along with that, the city has determined that it must develop a good public transport system in conjunction with the construction of two affiliated cities to be able to decompress the urban area. Therefore, in the coming time, Hanoi will focus on preparing urban railway projects. If we do not prepare the procedures now, we will not have the documents to make a decision by 2026. At that time, if we decide on the list, it will take 3-5 years to have a project to implement, which will take a long time.

In the immediate future, in 2024, the city is directing the operation of the elevated railway section from Nhon to Kim Ma. The underground section from Kim Ma to Hanoi Railway Station has been cleared of obstacles and will be focused on implementation in the near future.

The second is the Cat Linh - Ha Dong elevated railway line that will be invested in to continue up to Xuan Mai. The third railway line that the city will focus on directing early implementation, which if done will create momentum to promote the West of the city, is the Van Cao - Hoa Lac line. In addition, there is another very important line, the line from Noi Bai airport to the city center, which will also be prioritized for early implementation .