The nationwide administrative reorganization taking effect on July 1 marks not only a major step in streamlining government operations but also introduces an urgent need to recalibrate the country’s planning systems - from the central to the local level.

A shift in development thinking

As provincial mergers take effect, current regional and provincial plans will become obsolete, necessitating comprehensive updates to guide the restructured territories.

Experts warn that if spatial planning fails to align with these administrative changes, growth momentum and regional connectivity could stall.

According to Tran Ngoc Chinh, President of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association, the mergers are a strategic opportunity to redefine national development spaces.

“Planning must move beyond administrative boundaries and adopt a functional approach focused on growth corridors, economic zones, and interlinked regions,” he said. “It must anticipate the future to unlock the full potential of these new entities.”

A key highlight of this reform is the "seaward orientation" strategy. With nearly two-thirds of the new provinces gaining coastal access, Vietnam’s shoreline is poised to become a central pillar of sustainable development.

A prime example is Ho Chi Minh City’s merger with Ba Ria - Vung Tau, which will give the city direct control over the Cai Mep - Thi Vai international port cluster, cementing its role in the southern marine economic corridor.

Urban researcher Tran Huu Phuc Tien noted that Ho Chi Minh City will expand from just 27 km of coastline in Can Gio to over 350 km post-merger, including Con Dao Island and most of the Saigon River. This expansion boosts the city’s strategic role as a high-tech, service-oriented coastal metropolis.

“The merger of Ho Chi Minh City with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau offers transformative potential,” he said. “But realizing this requires new planning perspectives fit for a mega coastal city, including coordinated infrastructure, governance, and public services.”

He emphasized the importance of long-term, integrated planning involving urban planners, economists, and policymakers.

A new planning challenge

While Ho Chi Minh City expands seaward, Hai Phong - a northern industrial and logistics hub - is also undergoing significant planning adjustments. Its merger with Hai Duong aims to create a modern, high-connectivity metropolitan area.

Chu Ngoc Ha, Director of the Hai Phong Urban Planning Institute, described the merger as a complex task that demands a complete overhaul of regional planning to ensure balanced development between two areas with distinct characteristics.

Hai Phong brings advanced port infrastructure and maritime services, while Hai Duong offers urban development potential and large land reserves.

The integration must go beyond redrawing boundaries to create a shared spatial vision that addresses infrastructure, population, and economic coordination while preserving heritage and promoting growth.

Mr. Ha highlighted regional transport infrastructure as critical to building a true metropolitan area. Hai Phong is working with the Ministry of Construction and domestic and international consultants to design a vision through 2040 and beyond. This includes satellite cities, expanded tourism zones, and marine-linked urban spaces, all centered on the port system’s role as the gateway for northern exports.

With many provinces expanding in size and function, current plans must be comprehensively reviewed. Architect Vu Ngoc Tuan, Director of Planning Center 1 under the National Institute of Urban and Rural Planning, stressed that reforming the administrative map also requires transforming the planning framework from top to bottom.

“Planning must adopt a unified, long-term vision that accommodates the new, larger administrative units, which have more diverse roles and higher development demands,” Tuan said.

Other experts agree that the mergers present not only territorial management challenges but also opportunities to restructure development spaces, enhance regional coordination, and rebalance population distribution. To avoid falling behind in this reform wave, comprehensive planning reviews must be initiated at national, regional, and provincial levels.

At its June 24 session, the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed to remove the draft amendment to the Planning Law from the current legislative agenda and instead pursue a comprehensive overhaul to be presented at the 10th session of the 15th National Assembly.

This timely decision ensures continuity in planning activities, avoids disruptions to investment and development, and creates a unified legal foundation for administrative reform and sustainable spatial reorganization across Vietnam.

Nhan Dan