As of July 1, 2025, all 34 new provincial-level administrative units officially began operating, a reduction of 29 units from before. This momentous “reorganization of the country” has received support from all sections of society—a favorable foundation for success. As General Secretary To Lam reiterated in his June 29, 2025 article, “The Power of Unity”: “Without the people, even the easiest task cannot be accomplished; with their help, even the most difficult task can be done.” When the people agree and all levels are united, no force can subdue our nation.

Public communication efforts by Party committees and authorities at all levels have made clear that the central leadership’s policy of reorganizing administrative units and establishing a two-tier local government model is a major revolution of strategic significance.

On this issue, “the Party’s will” and “the people’s aspirations” are closely aligned.

The core objective of this policy is to expand development space for provinces and cities and strengthen the leading role of growth-driving regions, economic corridors, and growth poles. It prioritizes reorganizing administrative units in mountainous and lowland areas together with coastal areas, combining neighboring localities harmoniously and rationally in line with development requirements and orientations so that they can support one another and jointly promote socioeconomic development, while meeting the requirements and orientations for the country’s rapid and sustainable development in the new phase.

General Secretary To Lam speaks at the ceremony announcing central and local Resolutions and Decisions on merging provincial- and commune-level administrative units, ending the operation of district-level administrative units, establishing Party organizations, and appointing Party committees, People’s Councils, People’s Committees, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees for Ho Chi Minh City and its communes, wards, and special zones.

Reality shows that, after nearly 40 years of renewal, the organization of the country’s development space has begun to reveal limitations. Development space is fragmented along administrative boundaries; regional connectivity remains inadequate in many respects; development investment remains spread too thin, without concentrating resources to clearly establish growth-driving regions that spearhead and lead national economic growth; and a coordinated, modern national infrastructure framework has yet to take shape…

The main causes of this situation are a development mindset that spreads resources too thin and lacks focus and clear priorities; a lack of comprehensive national planning to clearly define a spatial development model across the country; a lack of mechanisms and policies to promote cross-sectoral and interregional economic development; and the persistence of parochial local interests.

“Reorganizing the country” is by no means easy or straightforward, given its nature and scale. Success requires, first and foremost, unity and agreement among all the people.

People will support this effort if they clearly understand that it is an urgent and inevitable requirement to reconfigure natural and economic development space and forge historical, cultural, and geographical connections to form an administrative-economic entity of sufficient scale. This will broaden development horizons while renewing and strengthening governance capacity, making the entity strong and competitive enough to integrate into national and global value chains.

We have achieved initial success as people have come to understand that reorganizing administrative units enables localities and the country to save money and develop more evenly, and creates new economic centers. It also advances the goals of establishing digital government and digital governance, developing smart cities and integrated economic regions, and creating a flexible administration that processes administrative transactions quickly and transparently, saving people and businesses time and money, in keeping with the principle that businesses and the people must receive better service.

“Reorganizing the country” is a step toward efficiently organizing national development space, establishing intraregional and interregional connections, and harnessing each region’s comparative advantages. First, investment will focus on selected areas with favorable geographical locations, economic and social infrastructure, high-quality human resources, and other development potential and advantages to establish growth-driving regions and economic corridors. Growth poles will then generate spillover effects that promote rapid, efficient, and sustainable economic development nationwide. At the same time, mechanisms, policies, and resources suited to the economy’s conditions will ensure social welfare in disadvantaged areas and gradually narrow gaps between regions.

Merging provincial-level administrative units is also a way to use the country’s resources efficiently and economically, particularly land, water, forests, and minerals.

Recent public communication and education efforts have also reached deep into people’s thoughts and feelings, helping them feel understood and willingly put their love for their hometowns second to their love for the country as a whole. The vast majority of people understand that decisions on merging or consolidating one province with another and on where to locate provincial capitals are carefully examined and weighed by the central leadership and relevant agencies, taking multiple factors into account to achieve sustainable, long-term development.

People also understand that the naming of new administrative units results from thorough study and careful consideration of traditional, historical, and cultural factors. Priority is given to using one of the names of the provinces before their merger or consolidation as the name of the new province, minimizing the impact on people and businesses of having to change documents, geographical indications…

Concern about “losing the name of one’s home province” is a natural human feeling. Yet the national vision and the country’s supreme interests take precedence over all such locally focused concerns.

By now, most people are no longer deeply troubled by “losing our province’s name,” “no longer having a district,” or “our commune being absorbed”…

Emphasizing the importance of unity at this time, General Secretary To Lam called for action: At this stage, as the entire country has been implementing the policy of reorganizing and streamlining the political system’s organizational apparatus, merging administrative units, “reorganizing the country,” and organizing space for the country’s sustainable development, the spirit of unity must be fostered more strongly than ever. With the Party’s strategic vision and leadership resolve, we are determined to uphold and harness the strength of great national unity, regarding it as the “source” and the “guiding thread” running throughout our efforts, ensuring that all Party and State guidelines and policies are implemented thoroughly, consistently, and effectively, and best meet all legitimate aspirations of the people.

Article and photos: Ky Anh Nguyen, Vietnam News Agency, and Department of Communications

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn.