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Merging to integrate, linking to lead
Implementing the policy of restructuring provincial-level administrative units in the spirit of innovating the organizational apparatus and effectively developing regional space, the leaders of the two localities of Quang Nam and Da Nang held three working sessions to agree on the merger roadmap.
At the 22nd Da Nang Party Executive Committee Conference on April 22, the Da Nang Party Committee agreed on the policy of merging Quang Nam Province and Da Nang into a new administrative unit called the new Da Nang City. Then, on April 26, the Da Nang People's Council passed a resolution agreeing on the policy of merging the two localities.
This is a strategic institutional shift, reshaping the development model of the central region in the new era. In the context that the whole country is realizing the aspiration for prosperous and sustainable development, gradually rising to the group of high-income countries by the mid-21st century, the formation of an integrated growth pole with coordination capacity like the new Da Nang City is a strategic solution at the regional level.
The merger is expected to do more than merely combine geographic areas and populations. It aims to unlock new momentum, new potential, and new development spaces. This central government initiative reflects a core objective: not just to consolidate, but to build a powerful administrative mechanism capable of integrating resources, aligning strategies, optimizing governance, and expanding development far beyond old boundaries.
According to the merger plan, the new Da Nang City would span nearly 12,000 square kilometers with a population exceeding 3 million, making it the largest centrally governed city by area among Viet Nam’s six such cities after the unification. The new city would boast a comprehensive and diverse regional infrastructure system, including three seaports (Tien Sa, the under-construction Lien Chieu, and Ky Ha), two international airports (Da Nang and Chu Lai), two UNESCO World Heritage sites (Hoi An and My Son), as well as dozens of industrial zones and high-tech parks. These elements lay a solid foundation for attracting investment and shaping a regional hub for high-tech manufacturing, logistics, and smart urban development.
These are the fundamental factors to attract investment, forming a high-tech manufacturing center, logistics and smart urban areas of regional nature. In addition, the planning of a regional financial centre, free trade zone, along with a logistics network, smart urban areas and digital economy that is being shaped, will be a new growth driver for the development of a multi-centered urban area, connecting the north-south and east-west axes. The new Da Nang City has a particularly important position in the East-West Economic Corridor, being the gateway to the sea of the Central Highlands region.
The merger of Quang Nam and Da Nang represents a strategic move to realize the vision of administrative streamlining and establish a model of effective and sustainable regional development. It marks a decisive step in reshaping Central Viet Nam’s developmental space, aligned with Viet Nam’s broader ambition to become a high-income, developed country by 2045.
A new growth pole
At a voter meeting held on April 25 by the city’s National Assembly delegation, Secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang remarked, “After 27 years of parting ways to grow individually, we now come together again under one roof.” He emphasized that in this reunion, the rich history and cultural identity of Quang Nam - deeply rooted in its people-will serve as the spiritual foundation and internal strength to forge a shared future.
In this convergence, the historical and cultural traditions of Quang Nam have permeated each person, becoming the spiritual foundation, the "soul" and also an important endogenous strength to build the future. This is not only a connection in geography and administrative institutions, but also a deep convergence in cultural identity, pride and aspiration for sustainable development of an entire region.
Once the two localities merge, the new Da Nang City will have conditions to grow up because the current Da Nang is currently enjoying many special mechanisms and policies from the Vietnamese Government. When merged, these mechanisms will be applied to the new Da Nang City.
The merger of Quang Nam province and Da Nang city is also a step to concretize two major policies of the Politburo: Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW on building and developing Da Nang to 2030, with a vision toward 2045 and Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW on socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security in the North Central and Central Coast regions to 2030, with a vision extending to 2045. Both documents clearly define Da Nang’s role as a regional centre. To fulfill that role, a suitable administrative model, a capable coordinating institution and a development space are needed.
