Which provinces should merge with Ho Chi Minh City amid major administrative restructuring?

As Vietnam is undertaking a major restructuring drive to streamline its administrative system, experts and policymakers have debated which provinces should merge with Ho Chi Minh City to optimize economic potential and regional development.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a mid-March government meeting emphasized that key criteria such as area, population, economy, culture, and mutual support for development must be taken into account during the merging of provincial-level administrative units.

Vietnam is expected to slash half of its provincial-level administrative units.

Given these factors, experts have suggested several neighboring provinces that would best complement the strengths of Ho Chi Minh City, the Southeast Asian country’s major economic hub.

Ho Chi Minh City shares borders with such provinces as Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Long An, and Tien Giang, and has coastal access to the East Vietnam Sea.

Urban history expert Tran Huu Phuc Tien suggested that any merger should build on historical precedents and national planning principles, ensuring a balanced and strategic approach.

He emphasized the importance of the traditional principles of ‘heavenly timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony.’

He cited the historical shifts of the coastal, outlying district of Can Gio, which has been under the jurisdiction of various provinces before finally joining Ho Chi Minh City in 1978, highlighting how such changes are driven by specific developmental needs.

The merging of Can Gio into Ho Chi Minh City gave the city a crucial 23-kilometer coastline.

Given the fact that Ba Ria-Vung Tau has a coastline of more than 300km and borders Can Gio, Tien argued that Ho Chi Minh City’s focus on a maritime economy makes Ba Ria-Vung Tau an ideal merger candidate.

With over 320km of coastline, a merger would create a vast maritime space, boosting shipping, tourism, and marine research.

He also suggested integrating Ba Ria-Vung Tau’s Con Dao Island into Ho Chi Minh City, providing the southern Vietnamese city with resources for further development.

Tien proposed creating a sea city by combining Ba Ria-Vung Tau’s Vung Tau City and Can Gio, with Can Gio serving as an ecological reserve.

He suggested integrating the ports of Nha Be, Can Gio, and Vung Tau into a single, coordinated system.

The urban history expert further highlighted the potential of merging Binh Duong, known for its industrial parks, with Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, creating a region focused on maritime, green, and digital economies.

Assoc. Prof. Vu Anh Tuan of Vietnamese-German University underscored the significant influence of Ho Chi Minh City on Binh Duong, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and Dong Nai.

Tuan stressed the need for coordinated infrastructure development, particularly expressways, ring roads, and metro lines.

He warned against redundant infrastructure investments, advocating for strategic planning and coordination.

He argued that a merger would provide an opportunity to comprehensively review and optimize infrastructure projects, ensuring efficient regional development.

A merger would allow for a strategic review of all infrastructure projects, ensuring harmonious development and maximizing efficiency, Tuan added.

Minh Duy - Tien Long / Tuoi Tre News

(2025/03/21-18:31)