Can Tho accelerates smart city development.

As the central hub of the Mekong Delta region after the administrative boundary merger, Can Tho is moving towards a streamlined, two-tiered governance model based on data and digital infrastructure, with the people at the center of all change.

Assisting citizens in submitting online applications at the Can Tho City Public Administrative Service Center.

From existing foundations to new advancements after the merger.

At a working session between the Inter-Ministerial Task Force for Coordinating Smart City Development and the People's Committee of Can Tho City, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tuong Van assessed that Can Tho has a favorable foundation thanks to the achievements of the former Soc Trang and Hau Giang provinces before their merger. These two provinces were pioneers in implementing smart city initiatives in the Southern region, creating a robust data and technology ecosystem for Can Tho to inherit and develop.

In the former Hau Giang province , the "Hau Giang App" received over 12,000 citizen complaints, achieving a 95% processing rate, demonstrating effective interaction between the government and citizens in the smart city model. The inter-agency cybersecurity monitoring center helps improve management capacity in industrial zones, schools, and hospitals.

In the former Soc Trang province, the Intelligent Operations Center (IOC) has been operational since 2020, developing 16 subsystems and 2 shared applications. This IOC has connected data from public administration, healthcare, education, environment, social welfare, tourism, and more, thereby helping local leaders grasp the situation in real time and make quick, practical decisions.

For Can Tho City, the pilot implementation of the Smart City Operations Center before and after the merger has yielded practical results. The system monitors eight areas, from socio-economics and security to tourism, environment, and information networks. The urban spatial planning platform (SPP) and the flood risk management system (FRMIS) have strongly supported planning, flood prevention, and infrastructure management. Several districts, such as Binh Thuy, Phong Dien, and Vinh Thanh, have implemented component IOCs, creating a significant step towards a unified city-wide operating model.

These achievements are considered an important stepping stone in the context of Plan 02-KH/BCĐTW, which sets high requirements for data interoperability, information sharing, optimization of the system, and serving the people on a digital platform.

Great determination from strategy to action.

On September 30, 2025, the People's Committee of Can Tho City issued Decision No. 1449/QD-UBND approving the Smart City Development Strategy until 2030, with the orientation of building a digital urban government, modern infrastructure, and applying artificial intelligence in governance. This strategy was concretized by Plan No. 97/KH-UBND issued on October 2, setting out tasks to synchronize data, develop a digital government, build a smart city plan, and develop key sectors such as transportation, healthcare, education, tourism, and agriculture.

The overarching spirit in both documents aligns with the requirements of Plan 02-KH/BCĐTW: all digital transformation activities must be people-centered, businesses must enjoy a transparent investment environment, and the two levels of government must operate uniformly based on data.

However, according to the Department of Construction's report, the locality still faces difficulties due to the lack of standards and cost norms for smart urban development. Representatives from Can Tho proposed that the Ministry of Construction issue guidelines for the preparation and adjustment of the smart urban development plan after the merger, as well as support in connecting businesses to invest and piloting new models in the Mekong Delta region.

Digital transformation becomes a driver of growth.

Can Tho has issued its Digital Transformation Plan for 2025 with the goal of being among the top 10 localities nationwide in digital transformation. This plan focuses on three pillars: digital government, digital economy, and digital society.

According to the city's objectives, 100% of eligible administrative procedures will be provided online throughout; 80% of applications will be processed online; 100% of new applications will be digitized; and 100% of periodic reports will be shared on the city's reporting information system and connected to the central government. These objectives are consistent with the requirements for data interoperability and process integration of the two-tiered government system after the merger.

In the digital economy sector, the city aims for a minimum of 20% of GRDP to be contributed by the digital economy, with 80% of commercial enterprises using electronic contracts and 99% of businesses paying taxes electronically. Regarding the digital society, the target is for over 50% of the adult population to possess digital certificates; 100% of communes and wards to have fiber optic internet and 5G networks; and all students and citizens to have access to digital school records and electronic health records.

According to Tran Chi Hung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City, in the coming time, the city will focus on building a smart urban information infrastructure platform; prioritizing the smartification of technical infrastructure and socio-economic infrastructure; implementing new urban areas based on the smart city model; and strengthening connectivity and data sharing between agencies to serve evidence-based governance. The Department of Science and Technology is assigned the role of focal point in implementing IOCs, digital infrastructure, databases, and smart city projects in each specialized field such as transportation, education, health, and urban planning.

Center for Science and Technology Communication

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/can-tho-tang-toc-xay-dung-do-thi-thong-minh-197251117110835437.htm