Merging Vung Tau – Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai: Detailed information on the government’s policy, including legal, population, administrative issues, and long-term development orientation.
1. Legal basis and Central decisions
Resolution 60-NQ/TW (April 12, 2025)The 13th Central Committee of the Party approved the policy:
“Unify Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, Binh Duong province and Ho Chi Minh City; name it Ho Chi Minh City, the political-administrative center is located in the current Ho Chi Minh City.”thuvienphapluat.vn
May 9, 2025, Government issuedResolution 125/NQ-CPApproval of the project dossier for the arrangement of provincial administrative units, officially paving the way for the formation of a new “super city” in the Southeastbaotintuc.vn.
2. Opinions and votes from localities
- Ho Chi Minh City (People’s Council meeting April 18, 2025): 100% of delegates agreed with the policy of merging Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces into Ho Chi Minh City.xaydungchinhsach.chinhphu.vnvnexpress.net.
- Ba Ria-Vung Tau: The Provincial People’s Council voted 100% in agreement with the plan to merge into Ho Chi Minh City, with 99.32% of voters supporting through local consultation.vietnamnet.vnttbc-hcm.gov.vn.
- Binh Duong: About 92% of voters agree with the merger policy, according to sources from Tuoi Tre and HCM City Broadcast Center.ttbc-hcm.gov.vn.
- HCMC (voter opinions): 88% of voters agreed after a wide consultation in the areattbc-hcm.gov.vnvnexpress.net.
3. Expected route
- Merger project: submitted to the Government before the date01/05/2025 etime.danviet.vn.
- Resolution Validity: expected to start from01/09/2025, and the new HCMC will officially come into operation from15/09/2025 nhandan.vnetime.danviet.vn.
4. Development goals and orientation
- “Super urban” model in the SoutheastAfter the merger, the new Ho Chi Minh City will become a “super city” of regional scale, combining the advantages of all three localities – financial center, high-tech industry, marine tourism, seaport…hcmcpv.org.vnbaotintuc.vnnhandan.vn.
- Infrastructure connectivity: The project emphasizes the synchronous development of the transportation system: highways, metro, seaports, regional connections (HCMC – Binh Duong – Dong Nai – Ba Ria – Vung Tau) according to the Southeast region planning.tuoitre.vnbaotintuc.vn.
- Multi-sector development sub-region: coastal tourism areas (Can Gio, Vung Tau, Con Dao), semiconductor industry, mechanics, petrochemical electricity…; satellite cities, financial technology, logistics to choose the new Ho Chi Minh City as the growth centertuoitre.vncafeland.vn.
5. Important Note
- Only in the project and resolution stage: Although Resolution 60-NQ/TW has been issued to perfect the policy, implementation still depends on the stage of preparing documents, submitting them to the National Assembly for approval, adjusting local laws and inter-sectoral regulations.thuvienphapluat.vnbaotintuc.vn.
- Continue to consult the people: Localities are gradually completing legal procedures and listening to more feedback from people, especially regarding headquarters location, administrative mechanisms and impacts when merging into provinces.
Brief summary:
| Problem | Content |
| Policy | Resolution 60-NQ/TW (April 12, 2025), Resolution 125/NQ‑CP (May 9, 2025) |
| Expressing local will | 100% of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council, 100% of Ba Ria-Vung Tau People’s Council, ~92% of Binh Duong, ~88% of Ho Chi Minh City approved |
| Time frame | Submit to the Government before May 1, 2025 → effective September 1, 2025 → operational from September 15, 2025 |
| Development vision | Create a “super city” – the economic, industrial, tourist and seaport center of the entire region. |
About legal process, organization, expected time
| Step | Time | Content |
| Submit application to the Government | Before 01/05/2025 | Complete the merger project, seek National Assembly’s opinion |
| Passed in Congress | June 2025 meeting | Expected to pass new Law on Administrative Organization |
| Issue a guiding decree | July-August 2025 | Building a legal framework for implementation |
| Officially in effect | 01/09/2025 | New administrative unit comes into operation |
| Implement administrative transformation | 09-12/2025 | Update address, documents, new organization |
Opinions of local people and authorities
Ho Chi Minh City:
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- Organize to collect opinions from committees, People’s Councils, Fatherland Fronts and elected representatives.
- 88% of people agree(according to statistics on April 15, 2025).
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Binh Duong:
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- Voter opinion poll:92% approve(especially high in Thu Dau Mot City and Di An).
- Some concerns about suburban planning and real estate.
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Ba Ria – Vung Tau:
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- The province proactively proposed to participate.
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6. On the organization of new administrative units (after merger)
Name: Keep it as is“Ho Chi Minh City”.
Organizational structure:
- Including 7 cities under the province(expected): Thu Duc, Thu Dau Mot, Bien Hoa, Vung Tau, Di An, Ben Cat, Long Thanh.
- Divide intocentral urban area, satellite industrial park, sea and island tourist area.
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7. Regional development goals (after merger)
| Development Pillar | Content |
| Industry – processing – semiconductor | Binh Duong and Dong Nai take on the role of industrial centers |
| Finance – high technology | Ho Chi Minh City plays the role of regional financial center |
| Seaport – international logistics | Ba Ria – Vung Tau: Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port becomes a strategic import-export hub |
| Beach & Ecotourism | Vung Tau – Con Dao – Can Gio |
| Regional transportation connectivity | Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway, Metro extension, Long Thanh airport, and Ring Road 3-4 |
8. Some challenges and issues
Complex administrative management:
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- The need to unify the apparatus among three localities with different levels of development.
- Concerns about “centralization” in Ho Chi Minh City and neglect of the suburbs.
Documents – household registration – administrative boundaries:
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- People need to update their ID cards, real estate documents, address information,…
- Government commitmentauto convert, no hassle.
Land and real estate prices:
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- Risk of price increase in neighboring areas such as Nhon Trach (Dong Nai), Phu My (BRVT).
- Need to strictly manage the subdivision and sale of land, virtual land fever.
Conclude
The formation of anew megacity named Ho Chi Minh CityNot just a simple administrative change, but a turning point in development strategymost urbanized area in the country, facilitate:
- Reduce the current overload burden for inner city of Ho Chi Minh City
- Increase international competitiveness
- Reshaping the development structure of the Southeast region
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