Party General Secretary To Lam addresses the working session. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City – The merger of Ho Chi Minh City with Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Binh Duong provinces marks a historic urban transformation, creating a dynamic triad forming a megacity of finance, industry, and seaports, stated Party General Secretary To Lam at a working session with the standing boards of the three localities’ Party Committees on June 18.

According to a report delivered at the meeting held in HCM City, the three localities now gather leading institutional and governance foundations in the country. In 2024, HCM City ranked second nationwide in digital transformation while Binh Duong seventh; Ba Ria – Vung Tau second in administrative reform and fifth in the Provincial Competitiveness Index; and Binh Duong among the top three in free trade agreement implementation and fifth in the Provincial Green Index.

All the three have prioritised comprehensive human development, living standard improvement, social equity, and sustainability. They have invested strongly in education, healthcare, culture, and sports. Social welfare policies have been effectively deployed to enhance happiness indices and security. Leadership methodology has been reformed and anti-corruption measures strengthened, helping enhance community solidarity.

General Secretary Lam praised their achievements but also noted persistent challenges hindering sustainable growth such as infrastructure overload, limited space, environmental pollution, flooding, and traffic congestion in HCM City, uneven urban development relative to industrialisation in Binh Duong, along with difficulties in regional connectivity, fragmented logistics, and seasonal tourism in Ba Ria – Vung Tau.

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Party General Secretary To Lam chairs a working session with the standing boards of the Party Committees Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria–Vung Tau, and Binh Duong on June 18. (Photo: VNA)

He underscored that with the merger, the new HCM City is envisioned as a smart, green, and creative international megacity — a regional hub for finance, trade, logistics, high-tech industry, and marine tourism, based on digital technology, green economy, environmental sustainability, and social harmony. It aims to attract talent, entrepreneurs, and innovators from Vietnam and around the world, foster startups and advanced models, and become both the national economic locomotive and a globally influential city.

A new governance model is urgently required—stronger than provincial and more flexible than regional authorities—capable of managing the three-pole megacity in an era of global integration and competition. The new city must be the epitome of enabling, transparent, and efficient digital governance that retains public trust during its development process.

HCM City must embrace a multi-centre and integrated urban ecosystem where each development pole—from Thu Thiem and Thu Duc to Di An, Ben Cat, Phu My, Ba Ria, and Vung Tau—functions as a link complementary to and intelligently connected with each other in a harmonious whole.

He asked the city to build a strong science and technology ecosystem, a vibrant private sector, and a dynamic entrepreneurial culture with a global outlook. It must prioritise comprehensive human development and link economic growth with social progress, equity, quality of life, healthcare, education, and security, ensuring no one is left behind, especially those in newly merged or disadvantaged areas.

Policies from the merged localities should be selectively integrated while maintaining national security and social safety. Prosperity must be understood as not only economic growth but also the creation of a just, safe, and happy society, he went on.

Upcoming all-level Party congresses must mobilise intellectual energy and determination to craft a long-term strategy that positions HCM City as a pioneering, creative, and modern megacity, he said, adding that the coming 12th Party Congress of the city should serve as a defining moment, setting a new vision and firm commitments for 2035 and 2045.

The General Secretary expressed confidence that the Party Committee of the new HCM City will become the centre of unity and inspiration, leading the city to break new ground nationally and globally. This will be a hallmark of the city – a one of innovation, action, and ambition worthy of the name of great President Ho Chi Minh.