Don't let the city's reputation become just a… "fading memory".

Your message, "I feel a lump in my throat knowing that the heritage city of Hoi An is expected to be renamed just a ward," also brought tears to my eyes when I thought about Buon Ma Thuot, with its centuries-old history, its gongs, its coffee...

The policy of merging and reorganizing administrative units, and establishing a two-tiered local government system, which the Party and State are currently implementing, aims to streamline the apparatus and improve the efficiency of state management. Mergers can optimize resources, reduce overlapping management, and create favorable conditions for development. However, for cities that have been established and developed for hundreds of years, possessing profound historical and cultural values, this also raises many concerns.

Ban Me Thuot Six-Way Intersection. Photo: Hoang Gia

As the economic , cultural, and social center of a region, preserving countless traces of time—from architectural works and traditional festivals to the unique lifestyles and customs of its people—will these centuries-old "renowned landmarks" fade in a new administrative structure when the district level is abolished? Will the unique identity of each locality, the stature of its urban reputation with its cultural and historical heritage, be properly preserved and developed to its full potential? Therefore, the prospect of cities with familiar names like Hoa Lu, Phu Ly, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Hoi An, Vung Tau, Buon Ma Thuot, Sa Dec, Long Xuyen, etc., being reclassified as "wards" evokes regret in many.

On January 24, 2022, the Politburo issued Resolution 06-NQ/TW on the planning, construction, management, and sustainable development of Vietnamese cities until 2030, with a vision to 2045 (Resolution 06). This is the first thematic resolution with a strategic vision, demonstrating the Party's concern for urban planning and development in the process of integration and globalization; it is an important political basis for the creation of new mechanisms and policies, creating momentum for urban development and contributing to promoting rapid and sustainable socio-economic development. The overall goal set out in Resolution 06 is to accelerate the pace and improve the quality of urbanization, develop sustainable urban areas in a network, and form a number of smart, dynamic cities and urban chains connected to the region and the world. When administrative levels are changed, will the values, development spaces, and urban development goals set out in Resolution 06 be affected?

Therefore, some argue that for cities with a long history and established reputation among residents and tourists, it might be better to maintain the current city government and abolish the ward-level government. This means bringing the city down to the grassroots level to ensure development space while effectively implementing the Party's policy of building a two-tiered local government.

In the history of administrative reform in developed countries, even during large-scale restructuring, these countries have maintained and even strengthened the role of city governments as an indispensable institution in modern urban governance. This is also a very valuable point to consider so that policy decisions, when implemented, ensure comprehensiveness and truly act as a driving force for cities to continuously affirm their reputation, spread national values, and continue to contribute to the country's development.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/thoi-su/su-kien-binh-luan/202505/dung-de-danh-tieng-do-thi-chi-con-vang-bong-a6e16a0/