Nguyễn Huệ Flower Street for Tết Bính Ngọ 2026 (the Lunar New Year of the Horse) in HCM City’s Sài Gòn Ward. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City is welcoming Tết Bính Ngọ 2026, the Lunar New Year of the Horse, with renewed vitality and fresh hopes for the future.

The year 2026 carries special significance. It marks 50 years since the city was named after President Hồ Chí Minh and 115 years since he departed the country in search of a path for national salvation.

It is also the first spring of the newly expanded “super city”, following its merger with the former provinces of Bình Dương and Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu on July 1 last year.

By 2030, the city aims to become a civilised and modern urban centre, and a dynamic hub for innovation with deep international integration, further strengthening its position in Southeast Asia.

Looking ahead to 2045, it aspires to rank among the world’s top 100 cities for quality of life, emerging as a leading economic, financial, service, education and healthcare centre in Asia, as well as an attractive global destination distinguished by sustainable growth and a strong cultural identity.

Trần Lưu Quang, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, said: “To realise these goals, the central and consistent task of the HCM City Party Organisation is to build the city into a centre of intelligence, unity and innovation, with sufficient capacity to lead it into a new phase of faster, more effective and more sustainable development, and to make even greater contributions to the nation.

“Intelligence, unity and innovation are not merely slogans, but a political commitment and a standard for action. Every cadre, Party member and resident must work together to transform aspirations into concrete action and goals into tangible results, so that HCM City truly becomes a magnet for talent and a growth engine for the country, building a civilised, modern and compassionate metropolis.”

He added that unity and innovation have already been demonstrated through practical actions during the first six months of the expanded city. All master plans, strategies, development programmes and projects are being implemented with a comprehensive approach, ensuring balanced development across all areas, without distinction between longstanding districts and newly merged localities.

On February 10, a delegation of HCM City leaders, headed by secretary of the municipal Party Committee Trần Lưu Quang, visited and extended Lunar New Year greetings to religious establishments in the city on the occasion of Tết Bính Ngọ 2026 (the Lunar New Year of the Horse). — VNA/VNS Photo

This Tết, the city’s Flower Street and Book Street festivals have, for the first time, expanded to three venues across Sài Gòn Ward, Bình Dương Ward and Vũng Tàu Ward.

Trần Thị Diệu Thúy, Deputy Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee, said each venue carries its own distinctive character while sharing a common theme centred on unity, convergence and development.

In preparation for the new spring, the city has also transformed nine long-idle “golden land” plots into public parks and flower gardens.

One notable project is the redevelopment of the site at 1 Lý Thái Tổ Street in Vườn Lài Ward into the 4.3-hectare Lý Thái Tổ Park. The park serves as a memorial space honouring those who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professor Lê Chí Hiệp of HCM City University of Technology said the park has been warmly embraced by residents.

The conversion of prime land into public parks and memorial spaces has received broad public support, he noted, describing it as evidence of the city leadership’s renewed and decisive approach to urban development.

A view of the newly opened Lý Thái Tổ Park in HCM City’s Vườn Lài Ward. — VNA/VNS Photo

On February 9, ahead of Tết, Party General Secretary Tô Lâm visited the city and extended greetings to its Party Organisation, authorities and residents.

He said the year 2026 is of special importance to HCM City, marking 50 years since it was honoured to bear the name of President Hồ Chí Minh (1976–2026) and 115 years since he departed from Nhà Rồng Wharf in 1911 to seek a path for national salvation.

These are not only sacred historical milestones, but also reminders of the responsibility to continue his legacy and to strengthen the city’s aspirations in the new era, he said.

The city should affirm its leading role, set examples and be a place where the central government can confidently assign new, difficult and major tasks, he said, adding that it should remain a driving force for national growth, innovation and integration.

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm paid a Tết visit to the Party organisation, authorities and people of HCM City on February 9. — VNA/VNS Photo

Nguyễn Văn Được, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said 2026 will create fresh momentum for the 2026–30 period.

The city is fully aware that the workload ahead is substantial and the demands are high, leaving no room for complacency or delay, he stressed.

The theme for 2026 has been set as: “Improving and enhancing the quality of the administrative apparatus – removing institutional bottlenecks – infrastructure breakthrough – improving public services.”

HCM City concluded 2025 with record-breaking results, contributing 23.5 per cent of national GDP and one-third of total State budget revenue, reaffirming its role as the country’s economic engine.

The city is now targeting double-digit growth and an average Gross Regional Domestic Product per capita of US$9,800, with the long-term ambition of becoming an international super city ranked among the world’s top 100 most liveable cities.

Huỳnh Thị Phúc, Deputy Head of the HCM City National Assembly delegation, said the integration of the strengths of the three former localities has created a more robust shared foundation.

This consolidation has helped the city overcome challenges related to administrative restructuring and expanding development space, enabling it to fulfil socio-economic tasks under new conditions while maintaining its leading economic position, she noted.

Ready to seize new opportunities, city leaders, cadres, civil servants, public employees and residents alike are welcoming Tết with renewed spirit and firm determination.

Trương Thị Ngọc Thảo, a civil servant in Cần Giờ Commune, said she and her colleagues have carefully strengthened their professional capacity and working conditions to ensure the commune administration operates more effectively and that procedures become more convenient for residents.

They are determined to fulfil all socio-economic targets for 2026, she added.

On Thạnh An Island Commune, salt farmer Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ of Thiềng Liềng Hamlet expressed hope that “people in Thạnh An will develop their livelihoods and prosper, contributing to the prosperity of the city and the country.” — VNS