The merging of commune-level administrative units in Nghe An, especially in Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, and Quynh Luu, highlights the importance of thoughtful, culturally sensitive, and strategic local governance reform.

These changes must reflect the realities of each region while aligning with national goals for administrative streamlining and long-term development.

In a meeting with veteran officials from the Central and Central Highlands regions, General Secretary To Lam emphasized: “The commune is the most important level of government because it is the closest to the people. It is also the place where all Party and State policies are implemented.”

He noted that under the current four-tier system, communes are largely administrative in nature and lack the delegated authority to address economic, social, healthcare, or educational matters. However, in the proposed new model, commune-level responsibilities would grow significantly, enabling officials to handle most citizen procedures locally.

“The commune-level officials must understand the people’s needs and concerns,” said Mr. To Lam. “They must know what citizens expect, what they struggle with, and what support they need. The commune is the one responsible for resolving those issues - not the province.”

This view presents a new governance philosophy focused on efficiency at the grassroots level, a vision aimed at developing an effective local government structure with what the General Secretary described elsewhere as “a 100-year vision.”

According to Resolution 76/2025 issued by the National Assembly Standing Committee and effective from April 15, 2025, the restructuring of provincial and commune-level administrative units must consider geographical features, infrastructure, population distribution, and economic organization. It must also take into account the capacity of local authorities, levels of digitalization, national defense, and the cultural and historical identity of each community.

The resolution also states: “Commune names should be easy to read, memorable, concise, systematic, and culturally and historically appropriate, with the support of local residents.”

Restructuring governance beyond administrative quotas

Restructuring commune units must go beyond merely reducing numbers. It requires a holistic understanding of local conditions, strong leadership at the provincial level, and the reorganization of geographic, economic, and cultural zones into coherent administrative units.

Hanoi offers a noteworthy example with its plan to establish Hong Ha Ward. The ward would include riverbank areas from multiple districts - Tay Ho, Long Bien, Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, and Hai Ba Trung - that share common environmental and social characteristics but were previously governed separately.

Grouping them into a single ward would reduce administrative fragmentation and allow local authorities to more effectively address shared issues.

The case of Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, and Quynh Luu

Historically, these regions have shared close ties. Dien Chau, along with Yen Thanh and Quynh Luu (including Hoang Mai, which was later split from Quynh Luu), is an ancient area that appeared in Vietnamese geography as early as the 7th century. For centuries, this zone was governed as a unified administrative unit.

However, its population is diverse, shaped by natural conditions and economic distinctions. Fishing, salt production, and silkworm farming communities are clustered along the coast, particularly around the Lach Van estuary in Dien Chau and the Lach Quen and Lach Con estuaries in Quynh Luu.

Inland communities closer to the old national highway (now Highway 1) have long engaged in trade and small industry, while areas near the irrigation canals from Do Luong are mostly agricultural.

This diversity means that restructuring should not be based solely on reducing commune counts but should be grounded in logic that aligns population clusters, infrastructure, and shared economic activities.

For example, coastal communes like Dien Van, Dien Kim, Dien Hai, Dien Ngoc, and Dien Bich - formerly part of the historical Van Phan area - share strong cultural and economic links.

These could logically be merged under the historic name Van Phan, already widely recognized thanks to the local fish sauce brand.

A flawed merging approach

Current plans in Dien Chau appear to lack coherence. Communes such as My, Kim, Hai, Hung, Hoang, Phu, Tho, Loi, and Loc are proposed to be merged with little regard to population ties or shared occupations.

This could fragment management of coastal industries like fishing and salt production. For instance, the new Lach Van fishing port may end up spanning several different communes, leading to administrative confusion.

Instead, commune restructuring should ignore previous district boundaries and focus on natural groupings of communities and common local issues. Residents of Dien Lam, for instance, may feel more connected to Quynh Lam or Quynh Tam than to Dien Yen, even if they fall under different districts.

A vision for the next century

To Lam’s call for a “100-year vision” isn’t just about merging provinces. It includes the idea of eliminating districts as an administrative level and rethinking commune boundaries to better fit future development. This long-term perspective requires thoughtful planning - not just convenience or speed.

Reviving historical place names

Restructuring is also an opportunity to revive ancient place names that residents still use, even if they’ve fallen out of administrative usage. For example, although the official name is Dien Yen, locals still refer to the area as Yen Ly - upper and lower Yen Ly depending on the location relative to the highway.

Similarly, fishing and salt-making communities around Lach Van, once known as Van Phan, could reclaim that historic name. Not only would this honor local heritage, but it would also foster a sense of identity and cohesion.

Unfortunately, many proposed names across Nghe An are simply generic district-based labels with numbers (e.g., “Dien Chau 1,” “Dien Chau 2”), ignoring cultural context. Only places like Kim Lien and Cua Lo have retained their distinctive names. Locals now joke about being called “number something” instead of real village names.

Even though time is short, provincial authorities still have the responsibility to lead with careful, culturally respectful research. Restructuring communes should be about more than names - it must create spaces for efficient, meaningful governance.

We are building for the next 100 years. That’s why this work must be done right.

Pham Quang Vinh