Urbanization issues in Da Nang after merger

Although the urbanization of Da Nang city before the merger achieved many important achievements, it was not really complete; especially after the boundary was expanded and it became the city with the largest area among the six cities today.

After the merger, Da Nang City needs to carefully calculate the spatial planning problem. In the photo: A corner of Hai Van ward seen from above. Photo: HUYNH VAN TRUYEN

The urbanization of Da Nang city after the merger is still giving rise to many issues that need to be discussed in order to find suitable, feasible and effective solutions.

From the urban government model to the requirement of perfecting the two-level institution

Talking about urbanization is first of all talking about applying different State management models to urban areas and rural areas. Da Nang city has twice piloted the urban government model (according to Resolution No. 26/2008/QH12 dated November 15, 2008 of the 12th National Assembly on piloting the non-organization of People's Councils of districts, wards and communes and according to Resolution No. 119/2020/QH14 dated June 19, 2020 of the 14th National Assembly on piloting the organization of the urban government model and a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Da Nang city), and officially implemented this model (according to Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 dated June 26, 2024 of the 15th National Assembly on the organization of urban government and piloting a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Da Nang city).

However, when implementing the two-level local government model from the beginning of July 2025, ending the historical mission of the district level, Da Nang city - along with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City - had to stop organizing urban government.

However, stopping the organization of urban government does not mean stopping State management in a way of thinking and doing that is not stereotypical for urban and rural areas. Article 11, Clause 2 of the Law on Organization of Local Government 2025 also emphasizes that the division of authority of local government must ensure the principle of "conformity with the characteristics of rural areas, urban areas, islands, special administrative-economic units and the ability and conditions to perform tasks and powers of local governments at all levels".

And it is not by chance that today there is still a distinction between provinces and centrally-run cities; between communes and wards - in other words, the achievements of past urbanization are still being preserved and promoted.

Obviously, a centrally-run city like Da Nang cannot stop with the current number of 23 wards but also needs to strive to turn a part of the current 70 communes into wards as soon as possible, first of all for communes whose administrative-political centers used to be towns/district capitals and also communes that used to have a fairly high urbanization rate and are located on a main traffic axis of the city.

Spatial planning problem

Talking about urbanization is also talking about urban landscape architecture. Da Nang City before the merger was soon honored as the city of bridges - mainly through the image of bridges on the Han River as architectural highlights, and soon changed from turning its back to the river and the sea to facing the river and the sea.

Officials of Que Phuoc commune guide people to carry out administrative procedures related to land. Photo: MINH THONG - ÉN LIỆNG

After the merger, Da Nang city cannot help but consider promoting the title of city of bridges on rivers other than Han river, such as on Lo Canh Giang or on Truong Giang... but it is necessary to carefully calculate the appropriate clearance to serve inland waterway tourism routes. It is also impossible not to consider the urban transport system above ground and below ground - currently mainly on ground roads plus a few overpasses - first of all for the urban railway connecting Da Nang airport and Chu Lai airport.

It is also necessary to calculate the height of high-rise buildings in urban areas, especially in areas related to air traffic near Da Nang airport and Chu Lai airport, and in areas with potential risks of landslides along rivers and coasts!

Innovation in perception and thinking

It is noteworthy that standing on the threshold of the nation's rising era, urbanization must aim at the goal of developing smart cities - understood as digital transformation within the scope and scale of the city but focusing on solving major problems posed by urban life including traffic, environment, energy, waste treatment, ensuring urban security and order...

The Standing Committee of the Da Nang City Party Committee has agreed on the policy of assigning wards to choose to form a sister commune with a difficult mountainous commune from the beginning of August. It is necessary to consider this not only to demonstrate the national morality of "the healthy leaves cover the torn leaves" but also mainly to shorten the distance on the way to a smart urban area between localities in the city, especially for smart education and health.

smart.

It should also be added that the farthest distance here is not the distance in technology but the distance in awareness and thinking, because like digital transformation, smart cities are mainly a change in thinking and awareness. And therefore, the innovation of the growth model in Da Nang must be associated with smart urban development, for example, tourism services must now be smart tourism services; especially unprecedented economic models such as free trade zones or international financial centers, cannot but be associated with smart management and operation capacity and, more importantly, with smart human resources...

Talking about urbanization is talking about the connection of urban planning between Da Nang and Quang Nam before the merger. The idea of ​​an urban railway connecting Da Nang airport with Chu Lai airport, and even a free trade zone… all must start from this connection of urban planning.

However, in my opinion, the most important thing for Da Nang city to soon complete the urbanization process is not to connect urban planning but to connect the city's cadre planning to ensure that the provincial-level cadre team and the communal-level cadre team are truly equal in terms of their attitude towards serving the people as well as their capacity to perform public duties so that they can be ready to connect in the 2-level local government model. And the most important thing is to connect economic development with national defense and security, between economic development and cultural development according to Uncle Ho's point of view: Culture must light the way for the nation to go!

For example, the education and training sector of Da Nang city and Quang Nam province before the merger had completed the compilation of their local education documents. Now these documents also need to be "merged" soon to become the "Da Nang City Local Education Documents" after the merger. Only then can the value of tangible and intangible cultural heritages of Quang land be properly preserved and promoted, and can penetrate deeply into the hearts of generations of Da Nang people right from when they are still in high school.

As someone who has worked in Quang Nam - Da Nang province since 1981 and in Da Nang city since 1997, I would like to share some thoughts, although they are still scattered and not really systematic. Hopefully, these comments can contribute another voice to the journey of shaping the urban appearance and cultural identity of the city in the 2025 - 2030 term, so that Da Nang can truly become a smart, humane and sustainable city.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/van-de-do-thi-hoa-da-nang-sau-hop-nhat-3305478.html