Ho Chi Minh City welcomes the New Year with promising socio-economic achievements obtained in 2006. Its economy has gained a rapid growth rate over the last many years. GDP increased by 12.2 per cent, total budget revenues by 15.2 per cent, total social investment, 18.3 per cent. Foreign direct investment increased 2.2 times against the same period. A lot of progress has been made in both improving the people’s lives and caring for their socio-cultural living condition, as well as in urban management. The city further maintained political stabilisation and ensured national defence and security and social order and safety. In its 2001-2005 term, the 7^th HCM City’s Party Committee and people made a great deal of effort to achieve important gains and create positive and comprehensive changes. The economy continued to grow at a high rate and has been restructured in a correct direction by combining services, industry and agriculture. Progress has also been made in education, training, science, technology and other socio-cultural aspects. The implementation of social welfare programmes has obtained important significant results. Further efforts have been taken to develop infrastructure, refurbish urban areas, construct roads and bridges, the port system, post and telecommunication, trade and servicing centers, new urban, export processing, concentrated industrial and high-tech areas. The city’s political system has been consolidated. The Party’s leading capacity and fighting spirit has been improved. The governance of authorities at all levels has been made more efficient and effective. The role of the Fatherland Front and social organisation and the strength of the great national unity have further been promoted. It can be affirmed that recent important achievements obtained in all spheres of activities by the city’s Party committee, administration and people are a component, if which continued, will complement and multiply from their traditional strength under the leadership of the Politburo and the Government and the warm sentiment of the people and army in the entire country. To steadily build up the future, the city has followed the following orientations: 1 – Economic growth must ensure sustainable development. 2 – Putting the people at the center of development and setting the final objective of development for the people. 3 – Economic growth must combine with urban development. 4 – City development must be done in the framework of developing the southern key economic region, combining city planning, productive force arrangement, infrastructure development, service provision, human resource training and environment protection for the entire region. 5 – Improve competitiveness in the entire country and in each locality, business and each product. Services are considered a first priority in the city’s economic issues. With achievements obtained over the last 20 years of the national renewal process and with a dynamic and creative tradition, HCM city’s Party Committee, authorities and people are firmly confident about the future and building the city to deserve the distinguished title, “Heroic City".