A corner of HCM City.  — VNA/VNS Photo

LONDON  — Việt Nam’s rollout of two-tier local administration model and restructuring of provincial administrative units is a sound policy that conforms to global trends. Dr. Lương Tuấn Anh from the UK’s De Montfort University told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident reporters in London.

Anh expressed his support for this policy, asserting that it is a necessary reform for Vietnam to capitalise on domestic and international opportunities for growth. Việt Nam's Đổi Mới (renewal) policy over the past four decades needs updates in a rapidly changing world with geopolitical instabilities, climate change, and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).

Streamlining the administration apparatus could slash recurrent expenditures, which now consume nearly 56 per cent of the national budget, compared to just 30 per cent in the UK, thereby freeing up resources for development projects, he said.  

The two-tier local administration model, he explained, would empower local authorities by granting them greater power to tailor policies to their specific needs and capabilities.  

The provincial administrative restructuring, while costly, promises substantial benefits, according to his recent research on merging Vietnamese provinces.

He pointed to the mergence of HCM City with Bình Dương and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu provinces as a prime example. The move would create a dynamic economic hub, with HCM City serving as a financial centre, Bình Dương as an industrial powerhouse, and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu as a tourism magnet. By erasing administrative boundaries, the new megacity would facilitate smoother transport and lure foreign investors, allowing them to work in HCM City, build factories in Bình Dương, and reside in Vũng Tàu.

Anh argued that such mergers would create driving forces, enabling each region to amplify its strengths and enhance its role within a unified province. “This creates momentum for better development opportunities”, he said.

Drawing on the UK’s administrative reforms, he highlighted the benefits of digital governance, including online procedures that ensure data interoperability across ministries and public service providers. These systems offer real-time feedback on errors and allow applicants to track document processing, improving efficiency and transparency.

Việt Nam should adopt similar principles of transparency, accountability, and scientific rigor to professionalise its public administration, Anh suggested. — VNA/VNS