Two-tier local administration an inevitable choice for prosperous Vietnam: KOVECA Chairman
By reorganising the administrative system from three to two levels, with the district level removed, the authority and responsibility of commune/ward administrations will be strengthened, and efficiency will be improved, thus better serving citizens.
Chairman of the Korea – Vietnam Economic and Cultural Association Kwon Seong Taek in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency's correspondent in the Republic of Korea. (Photo: VNA)
Seoul (VNA) - The implementation of the two-tier local administration model, starting July 1, is an inevitable choice for the prosperous future and development of Vietnam, and a strategic reform aimed at improving administrative management efficiency and national competitiveness, according to Kwon Seong Taek, Chairman of the Korea – Vietnam Economic and Cultural Association (KOVECA).
Kwon assessed that this move is like turning the impossible into possible. The streamlining of local administration levels will not only have a significant impact on enhancing administrative efficiency and minimising financial budgets but also achieve the goal of building a digital government that the country has been pursuing.
He expressed his belief that with the merger and reduction of intermediary levels, the authority and responsibility of local administrations will be strengthened due to the expansion of administrative boundaries of localities.
With the expansion, the structure of provinces and cities has obviously become broader and more diverse, the KOVECA Chairman said, describing the boundary division as very reasonable and scientific from certain perspectives.
By reorganising the administrative system from three to two levels, with the district level removed, the authority and responsibility of commune/ward administrations will be strengthened, and efficiency will be improved, thus better serving citizens.
From the perspective of investors considering investment in Vietnam, the Vietnamese Government’s structural reform efforts aimed at internal renewal have instilled confidence among investors. However, Kwon noted that reforms always come with challenges.
The impacts of change during the development process are inevitable. Therefore, if adverse effects can be minimised and public consensus strengthened, the outcomes will be significantly more effective. As such, the fundamental elements that must be ensured at present include transparency standards, orderly procedures, enhanced engagement with the public, and an efficient, scientific management system./.
This positive response stems from a shift not only in thinking but also in action among commune and ward leaders and officials, marked by a service-oriented attitude, enhanced decentralisation, proactive law enforcement, and the restructuring of an operating system that is more transparent and modern.
Vietnam’s shift to a two-tier local administration model marked a historic institutional reform, underscoring the country’s determination to streamline its state apparatus, making it more efficient, effective, and closer to the people.
Administrative procedures for citizens and businesses had been issued in a timely manner, with clear and detailed regulations, and were promptly put in place to ensure seamless implementation as the two-tier local administration model began operations on July 1.
Three former US ambassadors to Vietnam have shared their views on the past achievements and future prospects of bilateral relations as the two countries celebrate the 30th anniversary of the normalisation of their diplomatic relations this July.
National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh held talks with French Senate Vice President Loic Hervé and French NA Vice-President Nadège Abomangoli, met with Anne Le Hénanff, Chairwoman of the France – Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group (FVFG) in the French NA, and Amélia Lakrafi, General Delegate of the APF.
Speaking at the closing session of the 47th meeting of the NA Standing Committee in Hanoi on July 10,National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man commended the close, prompt, and active coordination among involved bodies.
Welcoming female diplomats at the meeting, PM Pham Minh Chinh wished them good health and continued contributions to the nations and to global diplomacy so as to keep promoting peace, cooperation, and development, advocating multilateralism, and promoting international solidarity.
The Mekong – Japan Cooperation (MJC) includes six members: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. In 2025, a new co-chair mechanism will be launched, with Vietnam becoming the first Mekong country to assume this role.
Based on their long-standing ties, shared interests, common viewpoints, as well as ASEAN membership, deepening the Vietnam-Indonesia relationship will not only serve the interests of the two peoples but also contribute to a united, strong, and cohesive ASEAN, and to peace, stability, and development in the region and beyond, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son had bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers of Japan and Switzerland on the sidelines of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-58) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 10.
Deputy PM and FM Bui Thanh Son, on behalf of ASEAN countries, commended the strong and substantive growth in the ASEAN-New Zealand partnership over the past 50 years and supported elevating it to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership this year.
The Vietnamese archives sector cooperates with not only the US but also France to provide information in the search for missing soldiers, thus meeting the needs of their families. It will continue to proactively cooperate and exchange information with the US side in this work.
The Government leader called for specific amendments and supplements of tasks and measures to improve institutions and policies on land management and use, while stressing a need for the inclusion of solutions related to land allocation and lease, and land-use conversion.
Such a journey is rare in international relations, and for Vietnam, it represents the fruit of a consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation, and deep global integration for peace and development, Dung said.
Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien has emphasised that over the past 60 years of development, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have grown steadily and expanded international cooperation, including practical and effective collaboration with the Vietnam People's Army.
Without trust, it would be difficult to have the substantive relationship the two countries have today, and trust has been developed and built on the determination to overcome and solve war legacies.
At this one-day meeting, the NA Standing Committee is scheduled to give opinions on eight major items, including an initial discussion on a thematic supervision report on the implementation of policies and laws related to human resource development, especially high-quality personnel, which are deemed essential for sustainable economic growth in Vietnam's new development phase.
PM Chinh said that after three years of implementing Resolution 18-NQ/TW on continuing to innovate and perfect institutions and policies, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of land management and use, and one year of enforcing the 2024 Land Law, the legal policies on land have been carried out synchronously, achieving positive results.
Mozambican Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Delfina Levi has emphasised the special ties between Mozambique and Vietnam, noting their shared views and complementary socio-economic similarities.
