HCM City Party Secretary Nguyễn Thiện Nhân speaks at the 10th Youth Union congress yesterday in HCM City. — Photo giaoducvn.vn

HCM City — HCM City leaders have called on the city Youth Union to provide greater support to young people starting up businesses, with a focus on innovation and technology.

“The HCM Youth Union should be fully and deeply aware of the role of young people in the new development era,” city Party Secretary Nguyễn Thiện Nhân, said in his speech at the 10th Youth Union congress yesterday.

“Young people play a very important role in any society, especially at the current time as the country strongly promotes industrialisation, modernisation and international integration.

“Young people should take advantage of opportunities for their own development and contribute to the country.”

The secretary of the central HCM City Communist Youth Union, Lê Quốc Phong, hoped the Youth Union would come up with more new development models for start-ups by young people.

“The Youth Union must prove its role and mission in bringing about new developments. The Innovative Youth Movement should receive investment to achieve a new level of development.

“The Youth Union should promote the spirit of learning among young people, especially English and new technologies, and improve the quality of its job consultancy.”

Trương Lý Hoàng Phi, director of the HCM City Youth Federation’s Young People Startup Support Centre, said: “To make HCM City a city for start-ups, we must train and educate young people in start-ups and innovation. The Youth Union must be a close partner for young people in setting up businesses.”

Phi suggested that the Youth Union should create an investment network and connectivity with the local and international start-up communities and invest in start-up incubation programmes.

In its previous tenure in 2012-2017 the Youth Union arranged loans for over 31,000 young people to do business.

In its current tenure it hopes to support at least 10,000 ideas and initiatives and assist 50 start-ups.

At the event the Youth Union was conferred the president’s Independence Medal, first class. — VNS