HCMC is entering a pivotal stage in its development, as authorities review the implementation of Resolution 31-NQ/TW, a Politburo directive issued in 2022 that outlines the city’s development goals through 2030 with a vision to 2045. At the same time, policymakers are preparing a new resolution for the city as Vietnam’s economy moves into a more advanced phase of development.
New demands for double-digit growth, higher productivity, deeper integration into global value chains, and especially the goal of escaping the middle-income trap by 2030 on the path toward the 2045 vision, have placed HCMC in a new position. The city is no longer seen simply as the country’s leading urban center, but as a strategic growth pole in a new era of national growth. The “new era” should not be understood merely as a point in time but as a structural transformation of the development model. In the previous phase, growth could rely on expanding scale and exploiting available resources. In the period ahead, however, those drivers are gradually reaching their limits. Growth will need to be driven by productivity, science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and institutional quality. This requires HCMC not only to grow faster but also to adopt a modern, sustainable model with the capacity to compete globally.
Reviewing Resolution 31 is therefore not merely about assessing what has been achieved, but more importantly about redefining the city’s role in the national development structure. HCMC should be viewed not simply as a large administrative unit, but as an “economic operating system” at both the regional and national levels, capable of organizing, coordinating, and upgrading key growth drivers. Yet the gap between vision and implementation remains pronounced. What is missing is not resources, but an institutional framework strong enough to fulfill that role effectively.
Speaking before the National Assembly and voters nationwide after taking the oath of office as State President for the 2026-2031 term, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam emphasized a clear development principle: “the highest goal of development is for the people to benefit from its achievements.” For HCMC, this sets a fundamental requirement for the new era. Growth must go hand in hand with quality of life, social equity, and sustainability. Put simply, the city cannot be only a place that generates economic value; it must also be a place that creates value for living.
It is at this turning point that HCMC’s brand needs to be fundamentally redefined, not as a communications campaign, but as an internal pillar of its development strategy.
For many years, as the city’s development model largely operated within its administrative boundaries and the main priority was sustaining growth momentum, HCMC’s brand took shape naturally from widely recognized strengths: dynamism, openness, a pioneering spirit, and its status as the country’s largest economic hub. That identity was well suited to its historical context and became a powerful source of attraction throughout the reform years.
But in the new era, as the country’s development trajectory shifts from “participating” to “shaping” and from “catching up” to “competing,” HCMC can no longer remain merely a major economic center. The city should become a strategic hub connecting Vietnam to the region and the world, where flows of capital, technology, data, and talent converge, are directed, and upgraded.
In this development model, HCMC’s brand cannot stand apart from the growth strategy. It must be at the heart of it.
International experience shows that a city’s brand is not created by advertising campaigns but by the quality of its development. Cities with global influence do not build their reputations through slogans or publicity campaigns. Their brands are shaped by how they grow and perform. These brands reflect effective governance, a high quality of life, strong innovation capacity, and long-term trust.
This is particularly relevant for HCMC when looking at the role of the “HCMC Brand Awards”. The initiative was valuable not only for honoring leading businesses, but also for reflecting the standards and values the city wants to be known for.
For many years, businesses recognized under this program have helped build HCMC’s image as a dynamic economic center. But in the new era, those standards need to move to a higher level. In the past, a strong brand was often measured by size, growth rate, and market share. Today, however, a strong brand must also be defined by:
- Innovation and creativity
- Environmental and social responsibility (ESG)
- The ability to compete and participate in global value chains
- Transparency and modern governance
This means the “HCMC Brand Awards” should be more than a title. It should become a strategic benchmark reflecting the city’s new development direction. At that level, HCMC’s brand needs to be built on a clear set of values: sustainable growth, green development, a circular economy, science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, transparency, and modern governance. These are not standalone priorities but the core pillars of a new development model.
Under this model, HCMC should be seen as:
- A center for high-quality growth
- A hub for innovation
- A leader in sustainable development
- A financial center and global gateway
- A highly livable city in the region
More importantly, HCMC is no longer competing only with other cities in Vietnam. It is competing directly with major cities across the region and Asia. In that race, the decisive factors are no longer size alone, but the quality of institutions, the strength of human capital, and the standard of living.
This is why HCMC needs to be recognized as a “special growth pole” – not only a city that generates growth, but one that guides growth, mobilizes resources, and creates wider development spillovers.
When that role is firmly established, HCMC’s brand must reflect it. The city should not be seen merely as a large urban center, but as a center of leadership and innovation – one that can shape development models, connect with the region and the world, and create new sources of value.
In this process, the business community plays a central role. Companies honored under the “HCMC Brand Awards” program are among the most visible representatives of the city’s identity. As they adopt ESG standards, pursue innovation, and embrace the circular economy, they not only enhance their own competitiveness but also help position HCMC as a city of responsible, high-quality development.
HCMC now faces a strategic choice. It is not whether to grow faster under the old model, but whether to grow differently under a new growth model. When the model changes, the brand must change as well. A strong brand not only reflects the present; it helps shape the future. But for that brand to be recognized, the essential condition remains the ability to deliver in practice.
HCMC does not lack ambition. What it needs is a robust institutional framework to translate that ambition into real development capacity. If it succeeds, the city’s brand will extend beyond the image of a dynamic commercial hub and come to symbolize a rising Vietnam – one that is more prosperous, confident, innovative, and deeply integrated into the global economy. In the new era, the key question for HCMC is no longer how large it can grow, but what kind of city it wants to become. Cities can expand quickly, but only those that create lasting value, foster innovation, and place people at the center are likely to build sustainable brands.
HCMC now has an opportunity to maintain its role as the country’s main growth engine, and to set a new development benchmark for Vietnam – one where growth is matched by quality, integration is balanced with identity, and success is measured by a better quality of life for its people.
If the city makes the right choices and has the determination to carry them through, HCMC’s brand can move beyond the image of a dynamic urban center to become a symbol of a more mature Vietnam – confident, innovative, and with a stronger standing in the global development landscape.
