Can Tho (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man pledged support for the development of the Mekong Delta, with a particular focus on Can Tho city, during a meeting on April 26 with heroic Vietnamese mothers and former officials of central agencies, Military Region 9, Can Tho city, and Hau Giang province.
The event took place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975–2025).
Reflecting on nearly four decades of Doi moi (renewal), Man highlighted Vietnam’s rise: a 476 billion USD economy, per capita income nearing 4,700 USD, and state budget revenues reaching 2 quadrillion VND (76.8 billion USD). Vietnam now has diplomatic ties with nearly 200 countries, is one of the world’s 40 largest economies, and stands 32nd in the global nation brand rankings.
Looking ahead, he reiterated Vietnam’s aspirations to become an upper-middle-income developing country by 2030, marking the Communist Party of Vietnam’s centennial, and a high-income developed nation by 2045 – the country’s 100th anniversary. For 2025, Vietnam targets at least 8% economic growth, setting the stage for double-digit growth from 2026 to 2030.
At the heart of this vision lies a sweeping administrative overhaul. Man announced plans to streamline Vietnam’s governance structure, reducing the number of provinces and centrally-run cities to 28 and 6, respectively. Can Tho is set to merge with Hau Giang and Soc Trang provinces, forming a vibrant economic hub spanning 6,400 sq.km and serving over 4 million residents.
The NA’s upcoming 9th session is set to pass amendments to the Constitution. If approved, district-level administrative units will be dissolved by June 30. From now until the end of May 2025, the NA Standing Committee will work intensively to review the merger of commune-level administrative units, targeting a 60–70% reduction from the current 10,035 communes.
Describing this restructuring as an unprecedented organisational revolution to boost efficiency, Chairman Man called on heroic Vietnamese mothers and former leaders of central agencies, Military Region 9, Can Tho, and Hau Giang to support this policy for national progress.
The Chairman also highlighted preparations for Party congresses at all levels this year in the run up to the 14th National Party Congress in January 2026. Preparations are also underway for the election of deputies to the 16th NA and People’s Councils for the 2026–2031 term, scheduled for March 15, 2026.
At the meeting with Chairman Man, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Do Thanh Binh affirmed that the city’s Party Organisation, authorities, and people will uphold their revolutionary traditions, foster unity, and drastically perform political tasks to establish Can Tho as a regional powerhouse.
Earlier on April 26, the top legislator visited and presented gifts to Hero of the People's Armed Forces and former member of the Can Tho special force Nguyen Thi Van, along with former Deputy Commander of the Can Tho Military Command and former member of the Can Tho special force Ung Thi Be in Ninh Kieu district./.
