Vietnam can no longer afford to delay. The next five years will be decisive for the nation’s future. As digital technology and digital transformation outpace institutional reform, the timing could not be more ideal for restructuring and merging provinces.

Vietnam has a long history of reorganizing administrative units - splitting and merging provinces and cities to meet evolving governance and development needs. This time, under the direction of the Politburo and Secretariat, a sweeping administrative restructuring is underway at the provincial, district, and commune levels.

The plan includes merging certain provinces, eliminating the district level, and restructuring communes to form a streamlined two-tiered local government: province and grassroots.

Looking back offers valuable lessons for this complex transition.

VietNamNet’s special series “Merging provinces: Reflecting on the past, moving toward the future” explores insights and experiences from those involved in previous rounds of administrative reform.

An unprecedented opportunity

Mai Liem Truc, former Standing Deputy Minister of Posts and Telecommunications and one of the pioneers of Vietnam’s telecommunications and IT sectors, opened his conversation with VietNamNet by emphasizing the urgency of merging provinces and eliminating district-level governance.

Having served across different eras - from wartime hardship to the renewal period - Mai Liem Truc has witnessed Vietnam’s transformations firsthand.

“Many friends have called me recently, sharing their concerns and hopes,” he said. “Fortunately, we’re mostly in agreement. This administrative revolution must be done, no matter the challenges. The Party and State must act for the nation’s sustainable future.”

In 2016, he proposed a “second renewal” for reforming state institutions. Now in 2025, he reflects: “I feel a tinge of regret. We’ve waited too long. We missed our moment. Now we must move urgently and decisively. Time is not on our side.”

He stressed that digital transformation and modern technology have advanced ahead of institutional reforms by seven to eight years. “That gives us the perfect conditions to proceed with this administrative revolution.”

Merging provinces will create larger administrative units with improved infrastructure, digital capability, and broader economic development zones. This is no longer theory - it’s reality. Even older market vendors now accept QR code payments, and ATMs are becoming obsolete as cash usage declines.

Looking back 10 to 15 years reveals just how quickly time moves and how past opportunities have led to today's progress. History won’t wait. Opportunity only belongs to those who seize it.

Outdated mindsets hinder progress

“Revolutions demand change and sacrifice,” Truc said. “Not everyone will be happy. This isn’t about tweaking a few offices - this affects millions.”

As someone from Tam Quan town in Binh Dinh, Truc acknowledged that traditional place names may disappear. “I understand those concerns. But if we cling to outdated thinking, we’ll never move forward.”

He recounted the story of Dang Van Than, the former Director General of the Post Office, who led the analog-to-digital telecom revolution while living modestly - sleeping on his office desk before receiving a small state apartment. “That generation sacrificed so we could thrive. Why shouldn’t we be willing to do the same?”

If someone has to be demoted from a department head to deputy, or even leave their position for the greater good - is that truly a sacrifice too great?

Of course, he cautioned, any favoritism or unqualified appointments would be unacceptable. But if the process is transparent and fair, current sacrifices will lay the foundation for future generations.

We must not miss this chance

Vietnam has seen several rounds of administrative restructuring throughout its history. Can the lessons of the past inform today’s reforms?

“The postal sector reflects a country’s infrastructure and movement,” said Truc. “Where there’s an administrative center, there’s a post office - here and abroad. We connect everything.”

During wartime, he biked from Hanoi to Yen Bai and Lang Son under bombing raids just to maintain communications. After reunification in 1975, Vietnam reorganized its administrative system within eight months, reducing the number of provinces to 38 by 1976, even as the nation relied on handwritten letters and walking couriers.

In the 1990s, when provinces were split again, many officials celebrated promotions, and modern infrastructure followed. For example, when Ha Nam and Ninh Binh were separated from Ha Nam Ninh province, new post offices were built, and telecommunication networks modernized.

“Back then, it was the right move. Transportation was weak, communication primitive, and most officials were war veterans - brave but not formally trained. Smaller units were easier to govern in that context.”

Today, however, the digital age demands larger, more dynamic economic spaces. “With the tools we now have, we must act - immediately.”

Science, innovation, and digital transformation have already paved the way. “This merger is not like those in the past. It’s a historic opportunity, and I must stress: it cannot be missed.”

The real challenge: leadership

A major hurdle in restructuring is human resources. How do we ensure the right people lead newly merged, larger provinces?

“The leader must be competent, courageous, aspirational, talented, and virtuous,” Truc said. “They must be fair, transparent, and committed to the public good.”

“A strong, visionary, and clean leadership is essential. Without it, development stalls - or worse.”

The goal of streamlining is to assess complexity, adjust policies, and create systems that empower local governments. “It’s like building a quality car. Next, we need proper roads, clear traffic laws, and skilled drivers.”

Ultimately, “the most decisive factor is leadership,” he emphasized. “That includes Party and State leaders, ministers, and local heads of provinces and communes. Everything starts from the top.”

Thanh Hue