Vietnam to have 34 provinces and centrally-governed cities, instead of 63

The Party Central Committee on Sunday agreed to reduce the number of provinces and centrally-governed cities in Vietnam from 63 to 34, including 28 provinces and six centrally-run cities.

Speaking at the closing session of the committee plenum on Sunday afternoon, Party General Secretary To Lam noted that the new move was made "in the spirit of science, breakthrough, creativity, and being close to reality, and with a 100-year vision".

The reconfiguration aims to expand spaces for the country's cultural, social and economic development.

It also seeks to build people-friendly, efficient and lean local governments that meet modern governance requirements; promotes sustainable and rapid growth; strengthens national defense-security, foreign affairs, economic development (with a focus on the private economy), science-technology, and innovation; and improves people's lives, the top leader added.

After the Party Central Committee's approval, the Government and localities will develop detailed plans on merging provinces and cities, and determining names for the new cities, provinces and administrative centers.

The National Assembly, the country's legislature, is scheduled to consider and approve the merger plans at its May-June session.

District -level administrative units to cease operations

According to the policy okayed by the Party Central Committee, local governments will be organized at two levels: provincial/municipal level and communal level (communes, wards and special zones).

District-level administrative units will cease operations after the legislature approves amendments and supplements to the 2013 Constitution and the Law on Organization of Local Governments 2025.

It is expected that the country will also reduce the number of commune-level administrative units by about 60-70%.

The committee also agreed to the policy of establishing local Party organizations corresponding to the provincial/municipal and communal administrative systems, ending the operations of district-level Party units.

According to a draft resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee compiled by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 11 provincial/municipal-level administrative units will remain the same, including Hanoi, Hue, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh.

The remaining 52 localities are subject to mergers, including four centrally-run cities - Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Danang, and Can Tho.

Some merger options are being studied, like mergers of Da Nang and Quang Nam, Bac Giang and Bac Ninh, Hai Phong and Hai Duong, and Lao Cai and Yen Bai.