Vietnam’s government is moving ahead with an ambitious restructuring plan that will significantly reduce the size and complexity of its administrative apparatus. Under the proposal, 13 general departments, 518 departments, and 218 divisions across ministries will be eliminated, alongside the reduction of nearly 3,000 district-level units.

The Ministry of Finance will be one of the most affected, with plans to restructure the General Department of Taxation into the Department of Taxation.

The number of provincial tax offices will be reduced from 63 to 20 regional offices, while over 1,000 district tax offices will be consolidated into 350 regional teams. The restructuring is expected to reduce nearly a quarter of the current units under the ministry.

Similarly, the General Department of Customs will be reorganized into the Department of Customs, with a reduction in the number of regional offices and district-level customs units. This will result in a reduction of more than half of its organizational units.

The State Treasury will also be downsized, with 63 provincial offices merged into 20 regional offices, eliminating over 40 percent of its units.

The Ministry of Construction will merge several departments into a unified Department of Construction Economics and Investment Management. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, a new entity, will integrate functions from agricultural and environmental agencies while streamlining its educational institutions.

Other ministries, such as the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will consolidate overlapping departments to improve efficiency.

Across all ministries, public service units will also be significantly reduced, with 201 organizations either eliminated or restructured.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the importance of this restructuring effort, which aims to modernize governance, reduce redundancy, and ensure that public services remain effective and responsive to citizen needs.

The plan represents a critical step toward a leaner, more efficient government structure capable of meeting the demands of modern administration.

Thu Hang