During National Assembly discussions on amending Resolution 98 for HCMC, deputies stressed the urgent need to expand the institutional space for a megacity whose population size, economic concentration, and pace of development have far outgrown the current legal framework. A broader institutional framework would not only give HCMC its own room to innovate and grow, but also serve as a testing ground for development models with nationwide impact. A megacity needs broader institutional space On December 8, 2025, the National Assembly held a plenary discussion on special mechanisms and policies for Hanoi, HCMC, and Danang. As the first deputy to comment on the draft resolution amending and supplementing several provisions of Resolution 98/2023/QH15 on piloting special mechanisms and policies for the development of HCMC, Hoang Van Cuong, a deputy from Hanoi, said that the city has long been the country’s leading economic center and a place where new governance institutions were pioneered before being replicated elsewhere. After its merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau provinces, the city has seen its position and potential growing even stronger, surpassing that of any other locality. “A megacity as large as HCMC cannot be dressed in the same institutional ‘outfit’ as other […]