The opening session of the 11th plenary session of the 13th Party Central Committee, is held in Hà Nội on Thursday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Tô Lâm has urged members of the Party Central Committee to focus their discussions on a landmark policy proposal that would restructure administrative units nationwide, reducing provincial-level units to 34, abolishing district-level administrations and cutting commune-level units by approximately 50 per cent.

Lâm made the call as he presided over and delivered the opening remarks at the 11th plenary session of the 13th Party Central Committee, held in Hà Nội on Thursday morning.

At the conference, the Party Central Committee is scheduled to discuss and give opinions on 15 contents focusing on two main groups of issues.

The first group of issues is continuing to reorganise the apparatus of the political system, reorganise administrative units and organise two-level local governments. The second group of issues is preparing for the 14th National Party Congress and the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-31 term.

Also at the conference, the Politburo will report to the Party Central Committee for consideration and decisions on a number of personnel work contents according to its authority and report to the Party Central Committee on the situation of the country, the world and the region.

Emphasising the significance of the policy, Lâm said the proposal, which involves reorganising administrative divisions and establishing a new two-tier local government model, is an historic undertaking.

The reform would not only streamline organisational structures, staffing and decentralisation of authority but also redefine administrative boundaries, reallocate resources and open up new opportunities for long-term development.

He said: “The overarching goal is to build a Government that is closer to the people, better serve public interests and ultimately lay the foundation for a new national development framework with a vision extending at least 100 years into the future.”

To advance the ongoing institutional reform, the Politburo and Secretariat have convened multiple sessions to thoroughly examine the proposal from various perspectives.

Following a broad consensus, they agreed to submit the draft plan to the Party Central Committee.

The comprehensive initiative includes not only the administrative restructuring but also related schemes on organising the Party apparatus at local levels; streamlining the operations of the Fatherland Front, mass organisations and associations tasked by the Party and State; reforming the judiciary, including the courts and procuracies; amending the Constitution and legal system; revising Party regulations, particularly those governing inspections and oversight mechanisms.

He said: “The matters are of deep concern to Party members, civil servants and the general public alike.”

The vast majority of citizens and officials support the initiative and hope for its swift implementation, he added.

Therefore, Lâm stressed that all related components of the reform must be carried out simultaneously without delay.

He called on the Party Central Committee members to provide feedback on implementation strategies and timelines to ensure consistency, cohesion and efficiency, avoiding any disruptions to Government operations, business activities or daily life.

Key priorities

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm delivers his speech at the opening session of the 11th plenary session of the 13th Party Central Committee in Hà Nội on Thursday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo

Addressing preparations for the 14th National Party Congress and the elections for the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–31 term, Lâm said that following the 10th plenary session, the Politburo had taken urgent and decisive steps.

Two key priorities were identified as drafting 14th National Party Congress documents and finalising personnel arrangements.

On the subject of personnel, he said it is “the most decisive of decisive factors” in realising the strategic objectives and vision of the 14th National Party Congress.

He said that the higher demands of the current era require an elevated calibre of leadership, particularly among strategic-level cadres.

Personnel planning, he said, “must be initiated early and continuously refined up until the 14th National Party Congress itself.”

The Politburo has directed a review and update of the draft orientation for selecting members of the 14th Party Central Committee, aligned with the structure of the proposed new administrative model.

It is also reviewing the strategic personnel pool and drafting amendments to Politburo Directive No. 35 on Party Congress organisation at all levels in preparation for the 14th National Party Congress.

All of the efforts are aimed at ensuring the successful organisation of Party congresses at all levels, culminating in the 14th National Party Congress, scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.

In parallel, the Politburo has submitted a proposal on the orientation for the upcoming National Assembly and People’s Council elections for 2026–31. The plan calls for earlier elections and significant reforms to enhance the effectiveness of the representative bodies, thereby ensuring the people’s right to participate meaningfully in the governance of the nation.

“These are highly strategic and vitally important matters for the country’s development in the new era,” the General Secretary concluded.

The conference is scheduled to be wrapped up on Saturday. — VNS