Proposal to designate Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as special-class administrative units

The Ministry of Home Affairs is seeking public feedback on a draft decree regarding the classification of administrative units. 

According to the drafting body, the National Assembly has adopted Resolution No. 202 on the reorganization of provincial-level administrative units in 2025, while the Standing Committee of the National Assembly has issued 34 resolutions on the reorganization of commune-level administrative units in 34 provinces and cities in 2025.

Accordingly, after the reorganization, the country has 34 provincial-level administrative units (6 cities and 28 provinces) and 3,321 commune-level administrative units (2,621 communes, 687 wards, and 13 special zones).

The 2025 reorganization of administrative units has fundamentally altered the average size and population of localities, far exceeding the thresholds set under Resolution No. 1211/2016 of the National Assembly Standing Committee.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, continuing to apply the old criteria, scoring system and classification thresholds under Resolution No. 1211 would result in outcomes that no longer reflect reality. 

This would distort assessments of the position, role and development level of each locality, thereby directly affecting policy-making, resource allocation and the organization of local government apparatus.

The draft decree sets out the criteria, scoring framework, calculation methods, and procedures for classifying administrative units at the provincial and communal levels, in line with the Law on Organization of Local Government. It also details the sequence, procedures, and authority for carrying out such classifications, highlighting the following key provisions and new points.

In the draft, the provisions on urban classification for each type of administrative unit have been revised to align with the guiding principles of the decree’s formulation and the current practical context.

With the exception of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which are classified as special administrative units, the remaining units are divided into three categories (Class I, Class II, and Class III). Classification is based on a scoring system: under 60 points for Class III, from 60 to 75 points for Class II, and above 75 points for Class I.

For provinces, the draft decree stipulates that they are classified into three categories (Class I, II, and III) based on the total score across five groups of criteria.