Vietnam's southern hub Ho Chi Minh City has approved an outline for its 2025-2050 master plan with a 100-year vision to transform itself into a leading sustainable, innovative and livable mega-city in the Asia-Pacific region, local media VnEconomy reported on Monday.

Under the outline, which was approved by the municipal People's Committee, the city targets an annual gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rate of at least 10 percent between 2025 and 2050. Its total GRDP is projected to reach some 1.2 trillion U.S. dollars by 2050 under favorable conditions, the report said.

The outline envisions Ho Chi Minh City becoming a major regional hub for economy, finance, trade, services, logistics, tourism, education, healthcare, science, technology and innovation, balancing robust economic growth with environmental protection, social equity and cultural preservation.

It also aims to develop a multi-center mega-urban model featuring modern infrastructure, smart governance and enhanced climate resilience, as well as improve residents' quality of life with income levels and living standards ranking among the highest in Southeast Asia.

The outline covers the city's administrative area of more than 6,700 square kilometers and reserves future land reclamation areas to meet economic development needs. It projects the city's population to reach 20 to 22 million by 2050, according to the report.