The Thanh Hoá Balloon Festival is one of the city's biggest post-pandemic events. — VNA/VNS Photo

THANH HOÁ — Despite the challenges of the pandemic and rising fuel costs hampering production, Thanh Hoá City is working hard to complete its 2022 socioeconomic goals.

Under the direction of the Thanh Hoá Provincial Party Committee, the People's Committee, and the People's Council, the city has deployed solutions for economic recovery and development, creating trust and support from its citizens and businesses.

After the pandemic was properly controlled, the return to normal production has given the province's economy a great recovery in all fields.

In the first nine months of 2022, Thanh Hoá City's gross output is about VNĐ115,750 billion (US$4.9 billion), about 75.3 per cent of the planned goal.

Gross output growth is 16.4 per cent, 8 per cent higher than the previous year. The city of Thanh Hoá at the top of the province's list in terms of gross output.

One of the key sectors contributing to the growth is trade & services. The total product sales and revenue from services reached VNĐ65,148 billion (US$2.7 billion), a growth of 39.8 per cent compared to the previous year. This is the highest growth in scale and speed in recent years.

A fisherman in Thanh Hoá Province prepares nets for offshore fishing. — VNA/VNS Photo

One hundred thirty businesses exported products to the US, Japan, South Korea, Canada, China, UK, Australia and Russia, etc., making the total export turnover reach $1.5 billion, a 16 per cent gain compared to last year.

After a long period under the negative effects of the pandemic, Thanh Hoá's tourism bloomed, with 5.97 million tourists coming to the city, and a turnover of VNĐ3,092 billion ($130 million), tripling the figures of last year.

Along with trade and services, the industrial and cottage sectors also brought good news after the pandemic.

Almost 8,000 businesses operating in the city have solved the problem of material sourcing and improved production. Many key city products have experienced a decent rise compared to previous years, such as ready-made clothes at 15.6 per cent, granite at 13.9 per cent, export leather shoes at 13.3 per cent, frozen shrimp at 14.1 per cent, etc.

These key products have contributed to the total gross industrial output of the city with VNĐ38,250 billion ($1.6 billion), a rise of 13.6 per cent compared to the previous year.

The city is also implementing the project "Building agricultural experience models with a view of improving Thanh Hoá's tourism" and quickly promoting the agricultural land accumulation of 48 hectares in wards and communes of Thiệu Vân, Thiệu Dương, Hoàng Quang, Đông Cương.

The People's Committee rates four OCOP products, and the total agricultural gross output of the city reached VNĐ3,475 billion ($147 million), an increase of 4.1 per cent compared to the previous year.

Sầm Sơn Beach, a popular destination for tourists in summer, have accumulated 7 million guests in the summer of 2022. — VNA/VNS Photo

The investment and business environment greatly improved in the first nine months of 2022. The City is focused on improving the Provincial Competitiveness Index. The city has supported businesses implementing investment procedures, especially in urban projects in Hoàng Quang Commune and Long Anh Ward, the expansion of Lê Lợi Boulevard, the Memorial Park to commemorate the death of local teachers and students who died when building Mã River banks, the Children's Palace, etc. The total investment funding throughout the city reached VNĐ25,013 billion ($1.085 billion), with a gain of 13.8 per cent compared to the previous year.

Out of Thanh Hoá City's 38 socioeconomic criteria in 2022, six have overperformed, 5 reached planned goals, and 26 remaining criteria are due to reach the goals in the fourth quarter of 2022. Regarding the first nine months and three months' forecast, 13 criteria have overperformed, with 25 reaching planned goals.

To complete the socioeconomic goals in 2022, in the last three months, the city's authorities continued to raise the motto of "great determination, great effort, great actions" in implementing political objectives.

The key is to continue to timely implement the prevention of the pandemic, protect citizens' health and create an environment suitable for developing socioeconomic goals.

All authorities, from the cities to the wards, must centralise leadership and focus on solving problems and improving production, trade and investment, thereby completing the gross output growth goal in 2022.

Efforts to increase the public budget must be improved, especially the rise of land use levy to ten per cent. Investors should be helped with procedures, especially land clearance and improving construction growth.

Cultural activities and vocational studies' quality should be improved, solving unemployment and executing good policies in social security. Authorities should improve and ensure public safety for the city's continuing growth. — VNS