In recent days, information has been circulating on social media that the government will continue to merge administrative units, reducing the current 34 provinces and cities to 16.
Speaking to VietNamNet, Mr. Phan Trung Tuan, Director of the Department of Local Government ( Ministry of Interior ), stated that the information about merging 34 provinces and cities into 16 is inaccurate and untrue.
Mr. Tuan stated that the Party, the National Assembly , and the Government have no intention of continuing to merge provinces, cities, or commune-level administrative units.
Mr. Phan Trung Tuan, Director of the Department of Local Government (Ministry of Interior). Photo: TH
According to Mr. Tuan, the recent decision to reorganize administrative units has strategic significance in perfecting a unified, streamlined, effective, and efficient administrative apparatus; building a modern governance system that is close to the people and for the people. This reform not only aims to reduce the number of administrative units, streamline staffing, and save budget, but also creates space for long-term development for localities.
From July 1st, the two-tiered local government model (province and commune/ward/special zone) has been implemented uniformly nationwide.
Currently, the country has 34 provinces and cities and 3,321 commune-level administrative units. This is the result of the National Assembly's adoption of the Resolution on the reorganization of provincial-level administrative units in 2025.
Photo: Hoang Ha
Mr. Tuan said that the Ministry of Interior is drafting a new decree guiding the process of soliciting public opinion when establishing, dissolving, merging, dividing, adjusting boundaries, and renaming administrative units.
This draft does not contain any list regarding the continued merger of 34 provinces down to 16, as is being circulated online.
According to Mr. Tuan, the issuance of this new decree is necessary because the Law on Organization of Local Government in 2025 has stipulated a two-tiered administrative unit model, and also added the type of "special zone". Meanwhile, the current decrees (54/2018 and 66/2023) are built on the old three-tiered local government model (province, district, commune) and are no longer suitable.
"The draft decree does not contain any appendices related to the reorganization or merger of 34 provinces into 16 provinces, as rumored on social media," Mr. Tuan said.
Vietnamnet.vn
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/bo-noi-vu-thong-tin-sap-nhap-con-16-tinh-thanh-la-sai-su-that-2463437.html
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