Malicious actors have recently spread false narratives of forthcoming province mergers, detailing fabricated changes to boundaries, names, and administrative centers. They employ sensationalist tactics, declaring these mergers as certain and imminent.
These rumors involve baseless claims of “negative impacts”, misrepresenting the Government’s intentions and declaring significant changes of boundaries, thereby disrupting daily life, and infringing on citizen rights. This fabricated information lacks any factual basis, leading to widespread public anxiety and hindering effective local governance.
In response to this situation, the Ministry of Home Affairs has formally requested the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate with cybersecurity agencies to identify and address the dissemination of misinformation that destabilizes societal equilibrium.
Law enforcement has intervened, issuing warnings and imposing sanctions on the offenders, notably L.V.T. and N.V.M. in Nghe An Province. Upon police interrogation, they admitted to the unverified dissemination of information on Facebook, motivated by the desire to increase viewership and engagement.
It is imperative to acknowledge that the consolidation of provincial-level jurisdictions is a matter of profound consequence, necessitating a methodically calibrated roadmap and strategic planning, underpinned by both scientific and practical criteria to achieve optimal outcomes. These activities must also comprehensively address economic, social, cultural, defense, and security considerations, while securing popular consensus.
The overarching objectives of political system restructuring, developmental spatial realignment, and provincial-level jurisdictional merging are to dismantle systemic bottlenecks, streamline bureaucratic structures, enhance the efficacy of state administration, leverage regional potential, and boost national development.
As of the present juncture, the central Government has not promulgated any definitive plans for provincial and municipal mergers. The National Assembly has neither convened nor issued any pronouncements or directives pertaining to this matter. Therefore, citizens are urged to exercise caution and refrain from naive acceptance of unverified, unfounded, and malevolent information.
Following four decades of reform and five years of implementing the 13th Party Congress’ Resolution, despite certain progress, Vietnam’s development is hindered by fragmented administrative boundaries.
Though no merger plans exist, restructuring is crucial for national advancement. This intention, beyond mere administration, aims to transform and expand development space, thereby addressing current limitations and stepping closer to comprehensive national development.
The benefits of this plan are multifaceted. Firstly, the consolidation of provincial-level jurisdictions reinforces the Party and State’s leadership over local political systems. This fosters unified and synchronized leadership, ensuring comprehensive Party oversight.
Secondly, observed evidence reveals that many jurisdictions exhibit limitations in scale and administrative capacity, resulting in redundancy and resource wastage. Jurisdictional merging addresses these structural deficiencies, streamlines bureaucracy, and enhances governmental efficiency.
Furthermore, jurisdictional consolidation facilitates the creation of new developmental spaces, optimizing the utilization of regional assets. The realignment of administrative boundaries creates larger entities, capable of attracting investment, developing strategic economic sectors, and driving regional and national growth.
Moreover, jurisdictional merging leverages regional potential, fostering integrated and sustainable economic zones. It enables the pooling of land, financial, and human resources, which in turn facilitates the development of major infrastructure projects.
Concurrently, jurisdictional consolidation enhances public service quality, better addressing the needs of citizens and businesses. Reducing bureaucratic layers minimizes administrative procedures, expedites service delivery, and facilitates citizen and business interactions.
It should be expected that through political system restructuring and administrative unit consolidation, including provincial-level ones, Vietnam will cultivate a dynamic and competitive developmental landscape, thereby enhancing the quality of life for its citizens and fortifying the nation’s progress.
