New Can Tho city positioned as regional economic engine: NA Chairman
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man said the administrative unit merger paves the way for closer regional cooperation in economic, cultural, and social development, national defence, and security while expanding development space and strengthening Can Tho’s role as the central economic engine of the Mekong Delta region.
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man (front, fifth from left) presents the decisions of the Politburo and the Party Central Committee's Secretariat to the Party Committee, its Standing Board, Secretary, and Deputy Secretaries of Can Tho city on June 30. (Photo: VNA)
Can Tho (VNA) – A ceremony was held in the presence🍬 of National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man on June 30 to announce the resolutions and decisions on the administrative unit reorganisation and personnel appointments in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.
According to the Party Central Committee's decisions along with the NA's and the NA Standing Committee's resolutions, the entire natural areas and populations of Can Tho city, Soc Trang province, and Hau Giang province are re-organised into a new administrative unit named "Can Tho city". Following the merger, the new Can Tho comprises 103 commune-level administrative units, including 31 wards and 72 communes.
The Party Committee of Can Tho city is established through the merger of the Party Committees of the former Can Tho city, Hau Giang province, and Soc Trang province. For the 2020–2025 tenure, it consists of 79 members while its Standing Board gathers 20 members.
Do Thanh Binh, member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Party Committee of the former Can Tho, was appointed Secretary of the Party Committee of the new city for the rest of the 2020–2025 tenure.
Tran Van Lau, Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, was appointed as Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee for the 2021–2026 term. Dong Van Thanh, Standing Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, serves as Chairman of the People’s Council of the new city. Nguyen Tuan Anh, Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party Committee and an NA deputy, was assigned to act as head of Can Tho city’s NA delegation.
Stressing the significance of the administrative unit reorganisation, NA Chairman Man spoke highly of the Party Committees, People’s Councils, People’s Committees, Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees, and NA delegations of the three localities for their proactive leadership, close coordination, high sense of responsibility, and effective implementation of the merger. That, he said, has helped secure the broad consensus among local officials and Party members, as well as the strong support of people from all social strata for the move.
The top legislator expressed appreciation and respect for the enormous and enduring contributions by local Party organisations, authorities, Vietnam Fatherland Front committees, and mass organisations, particularly those at district and commune levels, to the administrative unit re-organisation. He acknowledged and praised the dedications by generations of officials, civil servants, armed forces personnel, and residents of Can Tho, Hau Giang, and Soc Trang, who have played a vital role in the development of this region.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man delivers a speech at the ceremony. (Photo: VNA)
Chairman Man emphasised that the historic decision to reorganise local administrative units not only marks a milestone in public administration reform but also reminds the fact that the three localities – Can Tho city, Hau Giang province, and Soc Trang province were once parts of former Hau Giang province.
Now they are merged into Can Tho city, he said, adding that it paves the way for closer regional cooperation in economic, cultural, and social development, national defence, and security. It also expands development space and strengthens Can Tho’s role as the central economic engine of the Mekong Delta region.
The top legislator called on Can Tho’s political system to intensify communication and thoroughly disseminate the directives of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the NA, the Government, and especially the guidance of Party General Secretary To Lam at his meeting with leaders of the three localities on June 4, 2025.
The city was urged to quickly stabilise its administrative structure, allocate personnel appropriately, and ensure smooth, uninterrupted public services. It must also effectively arrange new offices and equipment, manage public assets after the mergence, and avoid any losses or waste.
The NA Chairman emphasised the need for Can Tho city to focus on boosting socio-economic development, ensuring national defence and security, and positioning Can Tho as a growth pole of the nation. It should become a centre for trade, logistics, marine economy, innovation, science and technology, and artificial intelligence, while developing digital and processing industries, and high-tech agriculture.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring balanced cultural and social development, improved welfare, and a better quality of life for all people.
According to the NA Chairman, people must truly benefit from the fruits of socio-economic development. All urban corners and rural areas of the city should be green, clean, civilised, and safe. Can Tho must strive to become one of the most livable localities in Vietnam.
He urged the city to prepare thoroughly for upcoming Party congresses at all levels, build on past achievements, and present a bold new vision, underlining the importance of selecting capable, ethical, and responsible officials, with public trust as the highest standard. Preparations should also be made for the elections of deputies to the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.
The NA Chairman expressed his confidence that the Party, administration, and people of Can Tho will overcome challenges, seize new opportunities, and contribute to the country’s ongoing renewal process./.
Party General Secretary To Lam underlined that the merger is not a mere administrative combination but a convergence of intellect and shared development aspirations.
President Cuong affirmed that this is a very special milestone for the entire country and for the capital of Hanoi as, starting from July 1, the country’s local administration apparatus will officially enter a new phase - transitioning from the three-tier system that has been in place for 80 years since the founding of the nation to a two-level one.
On the morning of June 30, localities across the country simultaneously held ceremonies to announce resolutions and decisions issued by the Party Central Committee and local authorities on the merger of provincial- and commune-level administrative units, the establishment of new Party organisations, and the appointment of personnel to Party committees, People’s Councils, People’s Committees, and Fatherland Front Committees at all levels — from provinces and cities to communes, wards and special zones.
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