In Conclusion No. 126-KL/TW, the Politburo and the Secretariat requested to study the orientation of continuing to arrange the removal of intermediate administrative levels (district level); orientation to merge a number of provincial administrative units. The information attracted special attention from people across the country.
In fact, the division and merger of provinces has occurred many times across the country, each time with legitimate and reasonable reasons, suitable to practical conditions. However, the merger and separation always have a great impact on each locality.
The old story of merger
Both Da Nang and Quang Nam, after separating the province in 1997, have had breakthrough developments, improving people's lives. In particular, Da Nang has stood out on the map of Vietnam in terms of infrastructure changes, becoming a model city of the whole country and the region.
Quang Nam has also escaped the agricultural "sharf", rising to become a dynamic locality with many industrial parks and concentrated economic zones. The achievements of both localities have been recognized by the people and highly appreciated by the Central Government.
However, that glory seems to have reached its peak. For nearly a decade now, both Da Nang and Quang Nam have fallen into a "crisis". The economy has been in a state of "negative growth" for many years, violations of state management related to planning, urban development, conversion, land exploitation... have continuously occurred. Many classes of cadres are caught up in socialist policies, discipline or have to quit their jobs early. The consequences are extremely serious.
From 2018 to 2019, when Da Nang discussed expanding the airport and building a new Lien Chieu port, it was also the time for Quang Nam to consider a comprehensive plan, open more deep-water ports, and upgrade Chu Lai to an international airport. At that time, Mr. Nguyen Su (former leader of Hoi An) commented that doing so was to scatter and weaken resources in each place. He suggested that there should be a common plan for both localities, which is to re-merge.
According to Mr. Su, Quang Nam and Da Nang are "one", which is the unification of culture, history, and the same socio-economic conditions. At each historical time, due to different socio-economic conditions, there should be different behaviors. In 1997, the division of the province was reasonable. And now, a merger is necessary.
Currently, Da Nang still has little room for development because it has only about 1 million people, to become a super city, this urban area needs 4 - 5 million people. Natural childbirth will take a long time, and mechanical increase will cause a deadlock in employment, housing, urban infrastructure, and social services. Da Nang has traffic jams, lack of domestic water, environmental pollution, and overloaded landfills. If the population increases suddenly, not only schools, hospitals, and urban infrastructure are overloaded, but forests and seas continue to be damaged, fields, rivers and streams will be filled in, and houses will be built.
Meanwhile, Quang Nam wants to rise to become a new urban area, on par with Da Nang neighborhood, and cannot escape the vicious cycle of expanding airports, ports, filling fields to build roads, and building new urban areas. However, if the two localities are merged again as before, these bottlenecks can be resolved and supplemented with each other.
Do not let the flow of the engine stop
When discussing the possibility of re-merging the province, Mr. Le Van Dung - Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam province frankly agreed. That determination shows the aspiration for the breakthrough development of the homeland of Quang Nam, for the goal of improving people's lives, for the prosperity of the country of the provincial leader. However, Mr. Dung could not hide his advantage because the merger was not as simple as the mechanical assembly of administrative units, but behind it were the thoughts, aspirations, position, power... of thousands of cadres in each locality.
Mr. Dung said: "The Central Government's policy is very clear, the requirements are also urgent, however, the implementation must be synchronous and scientific. For Quang Nam, we are not vague, wavering or have a "waiting" mentality. From the time I received the assignment, I determined that Quang Nam was determined to achieve the goal of administrative reform, "untie" businesses to have a good investment environment, large businesses, and investment scale in Quang Nam".
The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said that in 2024, Quang Nam will achieve 7% growth, which has ended the negative growth situation for several years. One of the tasks that Quang Nam has put first is to resolutely reform administration, regain working spirit, rectify the team of civil servants and public employees in the whole province - after inspections, examinations, investigations and even discipline and prosecution.
In response to the Central Government's revolutionary innovation policies, Quang Nam has also set a goal of rapid and sustainable development.
