General Secretary To Lam: Urban and rural development orientation commensurate with development requirements in the new era

On the morning of September 17, at the Party Central Committee Headquarters, General Secretary To Lam chaired a working session with the Standing Committee of the Government Party Committee on the three-year implementation of Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW dated June 16, 2022 of the Central Committee on agriculture, farmers, and rural areas until 2030, with a vision to 2045, and Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2022 of the Politburo on planning, construction, management, and sustainable development of Vietnamese urban areas until 2030, with a vision to 2045.

General Secretary To Lam speaks. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

Attending the meeting were Politburo members: Secretary of the Government Party Committee, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh; Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Government Party Committee, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh ; Central Party Committee members, leaders of central departments, ministries and branches.

At the working session, representatives of the Central Policy and Strategy Committee reported on the 3-year implementation of Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW of the Central Committee and Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW of the Politburo .

Accordingly, all levels and sectors resolutely and synchronously implement the viewpoints, task groups, and solutions of Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW according to the Party's new orientation on developing "Ecological agriculture, modern countryside, civilized farmers"; focus on perfecting institutions and laws, removing difficulties and obstacles, mobilizing and promoting social resources for agricultural, farmer, and rural development.

Agricultural production and business have developed quite stably; maintained its role as a pillar of the economy, contributing to macroeconomic stability; strongly shifted from agricultural production to agricultural economics. Agricultural, forestry and fishery exports in 2024 reached 62.5 billion USD; 8 months of 2025 reached 45.37 billion USD, forecast to reach 65-70 billion USD in 2025.

Politburo member, Party Secretary, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

Rural areas have undergone significant changes in most areas; economic and social infrastructure has developed rapidly. Farmers have increasingly played a better role as the main subject, actively transforming production structures, applying science and technology, and digital transformation; material and spiritual life has been constantly improved. The rate of rural households using clean water according to standards in 2024 reached 58%, and is expected to reach the target of 60% in 2025.

The report also pointed out some limitations and shortcomings such as unsustainable agricultural development; poor regional planning and industry chain linkage; unstable export markets, limited product quality and competitiveness, and the IUU yellow card has not been removed. Unsustainable resource use and chemical abuse cause food insecurity. There are still large differences in new rural development between regions. Many places have not maintained new rural results and still owe environmental, cultural and social criteria. Agricultural labor still accounts for a large proportion, and average income is much lower than in urban areas (only 72%).

Regarding Resolution No. 06-NQ/TW, all levels, sectors and localities have promptly institutionalized the Party's policies, issued mechanisms and policies to effectively mobilize resources, especially from the private sector for urban development; promoted procedural reform, decentralization and delegation of power to localities; urban development has achieved many achievements, infrastructure and services have been improved. Many new urban areas have been formed, urban embellishment has been focused on. Urban management has made progress, the community self-management model has been effective; the real estate market has developed harmoniously. The project of 1 million social housing units for low-income people and industrial park workers has achieved positive results. From July 1, 2025, after being rearranged according to the 2-level local government model, the number of commune-level administrative units has been reduced by about 67%, and district-level administrative units have been dissolved. The administrative system has been streamlined, creating conditions for upgrading urban infrastructure and the premise for modern urban development.

Member of the Government Party Committee Standing Committee, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra speaks. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

The average floor area of ​​housing per capita in urban areas is estimated to reach 31.5m2/person by 2025 (exceeding the target of 27m2/person). Some technical infrastructure indicators (urban traffic, trees, drainage) and urban infrastructure in large cities have not yet reached the target.

Regarding limitations and shortcomings, urban planning and management in many localities still have many shortcomings. The distribution in the urban system still lacks connectivity, central cities are not clearly decentralized, and the role of regional connectivity in the urban system has not been promoted. The organization of construction and management of urban development is still weak, and investment resources are still scattered.

Concluding the working session, General Secretary To Lam suggested that the Government Party Committee preside over and coordinate with agencies, including the Central Policy and Strategy Committee and many other agencies, to urgently assess the implementation of Resolution No. 19 of the Central Committee on agriculture, farmers and rural areas until 2030, with a vision to 2045; assign the Central Policy and Strategy Committee to preside over and coordinate with agencies, including the Government Party Committee, to assess the implementation of Resolution No. 06 of the Politburo on planning, construction, management and sustainable development of Vietnamese urban areas until 2030, with a vision to 2045.

Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang speaks. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

The General Secretary requested that it is necessary to objectively and comprehensively assess the situation and results of implementing these important Resolutions; carefully study new issues arising after the arrangement of administrative units, mergers and consolidations at the provincial and communal levels and the organization of two-level local governments; point out issues that need to be adjusted and compared with the requirements of development tasks in the new period; study new trends in modern urban and rural development in the world to supplement and amend Resolutions No. 19 and No. 06 to meet practical needs.

The General Secretary noted that it is necessary to clearly understand that urban development and rural development are two strategic tasks that complement and support each other and cannot be separated. Urban and rural issues are not only economic and social issues but also political, cultural and people's welfare issues. Modern urban areas are civilized and are the driving force of development, while rich, beautiful, cultural and sustainable rural areas are a solid rear. The relationship between urban and rural areas must be planned and systematic, creating a unified whole, developing in balance, harmony, complementing and supporting each other.

Regarding the promulgation of administrative unit standards, classification of administrative units, and classification of urban areas, the General Secretary suggested the need to promulgate early and deploy work related to localities, carry out planning, development orientation, consolidate, and build a strong government.

General Secretary To Lam speaks. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

The General Secretary emphasized that it is necessary to have an initial assessment of the implementation of the Resolutions, point out limitations and shortcomings, clarify new development requirements and propose new guiding viewpoints; carefully and thoroughly study to issue the Conclusion of the Politburo. After the 14th Party Congress, when Resolutions No. 19 and No. 06 have been implemented for 5 years, it is possible to issue new Resolutions to suit the reality. These are strategic issues, very large, very difficult, requiring high concentration of intelligence, mobilizing the participation of experts, scientists and referring to international experiences to advise on the orientation of urban and rural development in our country commensurate with the requirements of national development in the new era.

Nguyen Hong Diep (Vietnam News Agency)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/tong-bi-thu-to-lam-dinh-huong-phat-trien-do-thi-nong-thon-tuong-xung-voi-yeu-cau-phat-trien-trong-ky-nguyen-moi-20250917142716378.htm