HCMC – A draft Special Urban Law being developed by HCMC proposes a new framework for regional development and connectivity, aiming to address bottlenecks in transportation infrastructure, logistics and climate change adaptation across southern Vietnam.
The proposed legislation is seen as an important legal foundation for creating a shared development space in which HCMC serves as a growth engine while neighboring localities support broader regional and international integration.
The proposal was discussed at a consultation conference on the draft law held by the HCMC government on June 10, attended by leaders of provinces and cities in the Southeast and Mekong Delta regions.
The latest draft comprises nine chapters and 46 articles, with regional development cooperation addressed in Chapter VII. For the first time, the draft introduces the concept of a “Special Urban Region,” defined as a socio-economic development area linking HCMC with adjacent provincial-level administrative units.
The proposed mechanism is intended to overcome longstanding obstacles facing cross-regional projects, including beltways, expressways, seaport systems, river basin management and pollution control, which have often been delayed due to the lack of a coordinating authority with sufficient powers to oversee implementation across jurisdictions.
Speaking at the conference, Nguyen Manh Cuong, vice chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, said the development of HCMC and neighboring localities was inseparable. He noted that the absence of a strong coordination mechanism had been a key reason many major regional projects had progressed slowly and delivered limited results.
According to Cuong, the draft law would establish a cooperation framework based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, shifting from traditional administrative management toward a metropolitan governance model with broader regional impact.
The draft also envisions HCMC as an internationally oriented metropolis developed under a multi-polar, multi-center model, with the city serving as the hub for regional governance and coordination.
The proposal marks a shift in development thinking by positioning HCMC as a driver of growth for the southern region rather than limiting its role to its administrative boundaries.
