The Government has decided to upgrade three provinces into cities affiliated to the government, also known as centrally-run cities, by 2025.

Vietnam is expected to upgrade three provincial level cities into national level municipalities. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn

These provinces are the northern province of Bac Ninh, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue and the southern province of Khanh Hoa, which will be added to the list of major cities including Hanoi, Danang, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho.

The centrally-run cities are major cities having a developed economy with a political, cultural, economic and social hub. These cities have developed infrastructure and science and technology, many higher education institutions and convenient transportation. They will be in charge of driving the development of the whole country. 

Bac Ninh province, 30 kilometers from Hanoi, is seen as the center of industrial and export processing zones including industrial parks of HANAKA, Yen Phong, Thuan Thanh, Gia Binh, Que Vo.

In 2020, despite having to cope with difficulties and challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Bac Ninh still managed to make great socio-economic gains. Bac Ninh's economy achieved a growth rate of 1% in the context of a world economic recession, its gross regional domestic product (GRDP) has continued to be expanded to an estimated VND205 trillion (US$8.8 billion), ranking the 7th nationwide, its per capita GRDP is estimated at VND144 million (US$6,222), 2.1 times higher than the national average.

Thua Thien-Hue, some 10 kilometers from the beach city of Danang, has set the goal to become a centrally-run municipality by 2025 on the basis of preserving and promoting values of ancient capital’s heritage and Hue cultural identities.

The province achieved last year an annual gross regional domestic product growth of 7.5-8.5% and a GRDP per capital of US$ 3,500-4,000. The province includes the expansion of current Hue city, the towns of Huong Thuy, Huong Tra, Phong Dien and five surrounding districts.

Khanh Hoa, about 400 kilometers far from Ho Chi Minh City, is known for a long beach and more than 200 islands. The province possesses an abundant labor force and is one of the ten provinces with a large number of intellectuals in the country. Khanh Hoa currently has 40 science and technology research centers, more than 20,500 well-qualified staff with and over 200 of them possessing postgraduate qualifications. The percentage of workers with vocational training in the province accounts for over 25%.

Besides, five rural districts of Hanoi have set the target to become urban districts which are Hoai Duc, Gia Lam, Dong Anh, Thanh Tri and Dan Phuong.

Prime Minister Phuc has assigned the Ministry of Construction to check the urban planning, guide localities to formulate urban classification schemes, and assess to accredit urban types in accordance with current law provisions.

He also chairpersons of the people's committees of the provinces and municipalities to urgently review and classify municipalities to meet the provisions of the law governing urban classification and the plan of national urban classification in the period of 2021-30.

The plan of urban classification in the period of 2021-30 in provinces should be studied and integrated into the provincial planning and the urban development program of any province.