Attending the Congress were Politburo Member, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung; former Politburo Member, former President Tran Duc Luong; former Politburo Member, former National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An; representatives from the Central Party, the Central Government, central ministries and agencies; revolutionary veterans, Vietnamese heroic mother etc. together with 350 official delegates representing 97,744 Party members from 1,278 Party cells and units directly under Hai Phong Party Committee.

Comrade Do Muoi, former Central Committee General Secretary; President Nguyen Minh Triet; General Phung Quang Thanh, Politburo Member, Minister of National Defense; General Le Hong Anh, Politburo Member, Minister of Public Security had sent their massages of encouragement along with fresh flowers to congratulate the event.

In his opening speech, Party Central Committee Member, Haiphong Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Thuan highlighted the positive, meticulous and serious efforts on preparation activities to realize the 14^th City Party Congress in the context of national emulation for significant achievements to welcome the coming 11^th Central Party Congress. The City Party Congress had a special significance as a great important event in the political life of local Party and people. The Congress was to thoroughly take hold of and creatively make use of central guidelines in order to work out specific targets as well as the utmost determination and endeavors from the entire Party and people of the city to decide the development outlooks and orientation including breakthrough measures in socio-economic growth. It was also to plan figures, tasks and procedures to construct the city in the priod of time from present up to 2015; to discuss and provide construction recommendations on official documents to be submitted the 11^th Central Party Congress; to draft the Political Report of 14^th City Party Congress; and to vote for 14^th City Party Committee (tenure of 2010-2015), to select delegates to attend 11^th Central Party Congress etc.

On behalf of 13^th City Party Committee, City Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Thuan political presented the Congress’s political report with the theme: "To further the leadership, political spirit and resistance of the entire city Party; to bring into full play the advantages of a port city and the strength of national unity; to advance the industrialization and modernization course to principally build Hai Phong as a modern city of industries and services in 2015".

The political report confirms that over the last 5 years, the Party, the military and the people of Haiphong city have maintained the solidarity, dynamism, inventiveness, exertion, determination in implementing the resolutions of 10^th Central Party Congress and of 13^th City Party Congress. Therefore, the achievements were relatively comprehensive with a number of figures which are much higher than the planned targets. The five-year average GDP reaches 11.15%. Economic structure shifts in a more advanced tendency. The ratio of GDP of industries, construction and services has increased from 87% in 2005 to 90% in 2010 (including service ratio from 50.8% to 53%). In terms of the economy, industries continue to play a key role, accounting for 31% of the total GDP of the city, that makes an important contribution to local economic growth, exports, and labor attraction. The service economy is growing in a diversified and appropriate orientation, as quality and efficiency have been progressing and contributing greatly to help Haiphong gradually become one of major service centers of the northern coastal area. The agricultural economy is being industrialize and modernized as well as sustaining food security. The traditional marine industries is continueing to be focused on investment and capacity for faster growth and better competitiveness. The role of Hai Phong as one of the national key points in marine economy has been clearly confirmed. Cultural and social fields: Academic education is increasing both in scale and quality, attracting students from 55 provinces and cities, initially proving as a national center for training in human resources. Percentage of trained employees is 65%. In particular, workers who have had vocational traning account for 43% with an average annual employment of 44,600 people. The unemployment rate in urban areas has been lower. Proportion of working time in rural areas have been increasing significantly. The poverty reduction program has been implemented with high efficiency. Number of underprivileged households has been decreased by 3.86% (according to the poverty norms of 2006 - 2010). Lives of local people have been improved constantly.

After the review of 13^th City Party Committee, the report on delegate qualification, the Congress voted with 100% unanimity to ratify the eligibility of the 350 delegates attending the congress.

During the plenary discussion session, upon a speech by comrade Le Thanh Son, Director of Planning and Investment on mechanisms and key solutions to mobilize resources and to successfully implement the tasks and targets of socio-economic development up to the year 2015, Mr. Do Trung Thoai, City People’s Committee Vice Chairman made his presentation on rapid growth, sustainable development of national socio- economy in the draft of national socio-economic development strategy for the stage of 2011-2020.

On behalf of the Political Bureau, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made his speech of guidance to the Congress. The Prime Minister stressed: 14^th City Party Congress was a significant event in the political life of local Party and people. The outcomes would certainly contribute a great importance to the overall success of 11^th Central Party Congress.

In unison with the Congress’s reports, comrade Nguyen Tan Dung highly praised the political report and the review statement of 13^th City Party Committee, which had presented a high spirit of self-criticism and shown a unimitated truth in all aspects of the city and the City Party over the last term. He shared his acknowledgement and praises over the great achievements done by the local Party, military and citizens over 5 years of 2005 and 2010. However, he also pointed out several shortcomings and weaknesses in different fields to be tackled. Thereby, Mr Dung urged the delegates to thoroughly analyse the reasons behind both successes and failures in order to draw practical lessons and work out measures to overcome them.

In order to reaffirm the position of Hai Phong as a key economic region of the North and the country, the Prime Minister noted that the city was to facilitate its mechanical engineering industries such as shipbuilding, deep-water port, marine services, port efficiency so that it could flourish in its role as a port city. In terms of industrial parks and clusters, it was neccessary to take into consideration of economic efficiency, environmental issues, selective draw and high-tech priority. Development of agriculture and rural economy at large scale, and robust aquaculture... were also in concerns. The city needed to pay more attention to complete the master plan of urban infrastructure and social housing to match the characteristics of a national Class 1 city.

Mr Dung also asked the delegates to focus on discussion of topics on scrutinizing the Congress’s theme which was also the Party’s political determination written in their political report. With high conscientiousness, the Congress would discuss in democratic atmosphere to contribute the delegates’ insightful ideas as well as intellect to the draft documents of 11^th Central Party Congress; to wisely seclect competent and eligible candidates as members of 14^th City Party Committee in order to ensure continuity, succession and development; to vote for local delegates to attend 11^th Central Party Congress. In conclusion, the Prime Minister asked the Party, the military and the people of Haiphong city to continue their efforts on construction and development their homeland as an industrialized, modernized and civilized city prior to the year 2020, to make a worthy contribution to the national cause of industrialization and modernization, and together with the whole nation to firmly realize socialism in Vietnam.