(VOVworld)- The 6^th Emulation Congress of Ho Chi Minh City opened on Saturday. President Truong Tan Sang, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan attended the event.

In his address, President Truong Tan Sang praised the city’s efforts in strengthening emulation movements and its leading role in the country in various fields. President Sang said:“Ho Chi Minh City’s Party committees, local authorities, and organizations need to uphold President Ho Chi Minh’s thought on patriotic emulation, and strengthen communications activities to attract more Party members and the public to participate in emulation movements. It’s important to diverse forms and activities of emulation and to link them with the city’s political tasks”.

Emulation movements have contributed to Ho Chi Minh City’s development. In the last five years, the city’s GDP increased 9.6% annually, 1.66 fold higher than the national average.