Ben Tre (VNA) – Party General Secretary To Lam on June 3 held a working session with the Standing Boards of the Party Committees of Ben Tre, Tra Vinh and Vinh Long, during which he outlined an ambitious plan for new Vinh Long province, to be formed by merging the three localities, to become a dynamic growth hub capable of leading the Mekong Delta into a new era of development in line with the rest of the country.
The Party chief underlined that the merger is not merely an administrative adjustment but a strategic move to restructure development towards integration, efficiency, and competitiveness.
The new entity will leverage complementary strengths in economy, culture, and human resources to become a leading growth centre in the region, he stated.
General Secretary Lam underscored that the three provinces possess naturally complementary economic structures, industrial strengths, and geographic locations, providing a solid foundation for their integration into a harmonised and comprehensive development entity. Culturally and socially, they share a stable population base and a common regional identity, making it conducive to institutional integration, synchronised governance, human resources development, and the preservation of cultural harmony. These are the essential conditions to establish a strong administrative and economic unit with efficient operations and exceptional competitiveness both within the region and nationwide.
He affirmed that this is a strategic opportunity to shift from a province-based development model to a regional coordination model - one with sufficient scale to attract strategic investment, implement interlinked infrastructure projects, digitise public governance, advance green economic development, and respond effectively to climate change.
Crucially, this merger must be accompanied by a modern governance mindset - a streamlined organisational structure, transparent management, technological advancement, and flexible coordination, in order to create a high-impact growth centre, resilient and capable of leading the Mekong Delta into a new phase of national development, stated the Party leader.
He held that with its location between the lower reaches of the Tien and Hau rivers and bordering the East Sea, new Vinh Long province is poised to bring together all the elements necessary to become a key economic, logistics, high-tech agricultural, renewable energy, and maritime services hub for the entire Mekong Delta. It is strategically positioned to serve as a vital bridge linking inland subregions with the maritime space and global supply chains.
This provides a solid foundation for developing a distinctive, modern ecological economic zone and a riverine–coastal urban model. Such a model is not only climate-resilient but also aligned with the broader shift toward a sustainable growth paradigm across the Mekong Delta.
The leader emphasised that the new province must proactively shift from short-term, term-based thinking to a long-term strategic mindset — one marked by clear vision, consistency, and determination. This transition should move beyond administrative management towards development-oriented governance, from isolated actions to comprehensive coordination among Party committees, government bodies, businesses, and citizens, he stated.
Assigning specific tasks to the Standing Boards of the Party Committees of the three provinces, he asked them to thoroughly review progress of their resolutions of their provincial Party congresses for the 2020–2025 tenure, while reforming organisational structures, and enhancing communications to build consensus.
A comprehensive, unified development plan is needed to harness the complementary strengths of each area, aiming to build a competitive growth centre based on green, smart, and digital innovation. Economic development should focus on science, technology, and private sector growth, alongside improved social welfare and poverty reduction, particularly for disadvantaged and ethnic minority communities, General Secretary Lam said.
Strengthening Party organisations is crucial during this transition, with emphasis on discipline, ideological education, and preparations for upcoming Party congresses to ensure effective leadership and trust among officials and the public, the leader emphasised.
Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, and Vinh Long have strategic locations, serving as gateways to the Mekong River's lower reaches. These provinces play a crucial role in marine economy, high-tech agriculture, renewable energy, culture, and tourism, and are home to the largest Khmer ethnic community in Vietnam.
Implementing the scheme to reorganise administrative units and developing a two-level administrative model, the Party Committees of the three localities have promptly issued over 30 documents, resulting in more than 14 specific tasks per province. These initiatives have been carried out with clear timelines and measurable outcomes.
The provinces have also completed preparations for administrative restructuring, including the merger of administrative units and the consolidation of provincial boundaries. Proposals for these changes have been submitted to the Government, with Ben Tre reducing the number of communes and wards to 48, Vinh Long to 35, and Tra Vinh to 41.
Additionally, 345 individuals affected by these administrative changes have received their entitlements, with further reviews underway to ensure comprehensive support. Measures have been taken to repurpose surplus public assets and reallocate investment funds to prevent disruptions in ongoing projects./.
