The Hanoi People's Committee has requested the city's five outskirt districts to make plans for urbanization, comprehensively developing socio-economic infrastructure in the capital city, according to a decision dated October 24.

The five suburban districts are Dong Anh, Gia Lam, Thanh Tri, Hoai Duc, and Dan Phuong. The deadline for submission of the plans is December 31, 2025.

Among the districts mentioned above, Dong Anh has the largest acreage, followed by Gia Lam.

The Dong Anh area comprises more than 180 square kilometers, with about 380,000 inhabitants living in 23 communes and one village. Gia Lam has almost 115 square kilometers, a population of 280,000, 20 communes, and two villages.

The countryside of Phuc Tho District in Hanoi changes day by day thanks to the support of inner city districts. Photo: Lam Nguyen/ The Hanoi Times

Currently, Hanoi has 12 metropolitan districts, including Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Bac Tu Liem, Nam Tu Liem, Cau Giay, Ha Dong, Hoang Mai, Long Bien, Tay Ho, and Thanh Xuan. 

According to the city's program, in 2026 - 2030, three more districts will become metropolitan, including Thanh Oai, Thuong Tin, and Me Linh. 

Enhancing cooperation with suburban districts 

Many metropolitan districts in Hanoi are enhancing cooperation with outskirt districts to exploit their potential and advantages, promoting economic development, increasing income, and reducing poverty. 

Over the past years, many organizations and enterprises in the metropolitan districts have been looking for partners to cooperate in producing and trading agricultural products and craft villages in the suburbs. The system of supermarkets and convenience stores in the inner city is now commercializing products made by farmers in the outskirts. 

As the central district of Hanoi, commercial and tourism activities in Hoan Kiem district are thriving. 

Chairman of the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee, Pham Tuan Long, said that the district is currently working with organizations and businesses in many suburban communities to sell products manufactured in rural areas. 

"In the future, we hope to exchange and cooperate with rural districts home to many craft villages to supply traditional craft products to the tourism sector. In this way, we introduce the unique cultural characteristics of Hanoi's 1,000 years of civilization and promote links between localities," Long said. 

After five years (2016 - 2020), many infrastructure works in disadvantaged areas of Hanoi have been built with funding from the urban districts.