A Historic Turning Point
On the morning of June 12th, following the explanation of the policy on the merger of administrative units at the provincial level, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra shared that during the country’s renewal and development process, we have had important milestones, especially decisions that not only adjusted and restructured the administrative territorial space but also promoted national and local governance.
Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra. Photo: Nhu Y
“These decisions carry historical significance and have far-reaching strategic importance, aiming to design for the future and build a new development model for the country. The National Assembly considered and passed a resolution amending several issues in the Constitution, as well as the Law on Local Government Organization at this session. We consider this a historic decision, gathering the strength of the past, the present, and looking towards a brighter future for the country,” said Mrs. Tra.
The Minister emphasized that this is a very important issue, a historic turning point, and has been carefully, comprehensively, and prudently considered by the competent authorities. The preparation was carried out with certainty, scientific and dialectical methods, based on Vietnam’s history, culture, and reality, and with reference to international experience.
Along with this, we have also studied and considered many factors such as strategic thinking, force organization, liberation of thought and psychology, as well as geographical, natural, geopolitical, geo-economic, cultural, defense, and security factors.
According to her, all these factors are placed in the overall development space of the country, harmoniously combining criteria such as population size, natural area, historical and cultural traditions, religion, and beliefs.
“Our highest goal is for the common development of the country, for the richness, prosperity, and civilization of the nation, and for the happiness of the people. This is the great goal that we always strive for. Therefore, the arrangement of administrative units this time has been carefully considered by the competent authorities and has taken a lot of time to ensure quality,” shared the Minister of Home Affairs.
Growing and Advancing Together
Also, according to Mrs. Tra, the goal of this arrangement is to expand the development space, promote the leading role of dynamic regions, economic corridors, and growth poles, while ensuring balance and harmony among regions, supporting each other to grow and advance together.
“We have never witnessed such a revolution in administrative organization with such unity and high determination from the entire political system and the outstanding efforts of the Party committees and authorities,” said Mrs. Tra.
Especially, the high consensus of voters nationwide is clear evidence of strong agreement with the policy of arranging administrative units at the provincial and communal levels.
National Assembly passes a resolution on the arrangement of administrative units at the provincial level in 2025. Photo: Nhu Y
“People and businesses can rest assured to use the papers already granted until they expire. If they wish to be reissued with new addresses, the state management agencies will support with simple administrative procedures and no fees”- Vice Chairman of the National Assembly assured.
The Standing Committee of the National Assembly and the agencies of the National Assembly have spent a lot of time researching and considering the voluminous dossier from the Government on the arrangement of administrative units at the communal level and the 34 new provinces.
“The agencies of the National Assembly, especially the Committees for Legal Affairs and Judicial Affairs, have been working tirelessly to review these dossiers. The President of the National Assembly has directed very closely, and the Vice President of the National Assembly in charge of this field has always kept track to ensure progress and quality for submission to the National Assembly,” said Mrs. Tra.
During the discussions, the National Assembly deputies expressed their high consensus on the arrangement of administrative units at the provincial and communal levels. The delegates also contributed many important opinions and proposed issues that need further study, such as perfecting the institutional system and amending some articles in the Constitution and the Law on Local Government Organization.
“These decisions will be passed on June 16 and synchronized with the National Assembly’s passage of the arrangement of administrative units at the provincial level. The normative legal documents will be implemented promptly and synchronously, along with decentralization and clarification of local authority, to realize the correct motto of local decision-making, local implementation, and local accountability,” said the Minister.
What Will Vietnam Look Like After Provincial and Municipal Mergers?
With an overwhelming majority of 461 out of 465 delegates in favor, the National Assembly, on the morning of June 12, 2025, officially passed a historic resolution on the merger of provincial-level administrative units. So, how many provinces and cities are there in our country now?
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