Presenting a paper at the 9th National Congress of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, term 2026 - 2031 held on August 28, Architect Tran Ngoc Chinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association, said that in recent years, the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association has gradually affirmed its role in consulting, criticism and social appraisal activities.
The Association has an important advantage of gathering a team of experts operating in many fields directly related to urban development such as planning, architecture, construction, transportation, technical infrastructure, urban economy, environment, housing and real estate, development management.
Through research activities, seminars, workshops, policy contributions, planning criticism and participation in consulting tasks, the Association has gradually created a channel to connect managers, professional scientists with localities, businesses and the community.
In that process, the Association focuses on the issues that development practices are posing.
When implementing the arrangement of administrative units of 34 provinces and cities, the 2-level government model, we have had the opportunity to reorganize the space to suit the development space.
According to Mr. Tran Ngoc Chinh, the new administrative boundaries have become a favorable condition for reorganizing the development space. A local planning decision can have a direct impact on transportation, environment, water sources, labor market, and local infrastructure.
Therefore, from the perspective of planning, consulting, criticism and social appraisal, the Association's activities have actively participated earlier, deeper, more independently and more closely linked to reality. These activities are carried out right at the time of identifying the problem, building orientations and selecting options.
Recently, the Association and the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations have organized a number of activities such as seminars to contribute opinions to the Law on Urban Development, the Law on Housing, and the Capital Law.
And especially, the Association has participated with Hanoi City on the Master Plan of the Capital with a 100-year vision.
We were invited by Hanoi City to officially refute the 100-year vision of the Capital planning. Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee invited the Planning Association, and I am the Head of the Expert Working Group on 100-year vision planning for Ho Chi Minh City taking place in mid-September; by October, the overall plan of Ho Chi Minh City with a 100-year vision will be approved" - Mr. Chinh said.
According to architect Tran Ngoc Chinh, we are facing a new stage of national development. New requirements for developing space organization, building 2-level local government, sustainable urban development, green transformation, digital transformation and improving the quality of life of people are posing new tasks for the urban planning and development management sector.
With the spirit of dedication to the profession, responsibility to society of a professional association operating in the field of urban planning and development, Mr. Tran Ngoc Chinh said that the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association will accompany the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, along with member associations, scientists, experts, and localities to contribute intelligence and responsibility to a Vietnam that is sustainable, modern, efficient, humane and rich in identity.
