National symposium discusses improvements to two-tier local government model

The event, organised by the Central Theoretical Council, the Party Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, was conducted online, featuring the participation of representatives from central and local agencies, members of the Central Theoretical Council, senior advisers, experienced officials and scholars.

The symposium is designed to assess nearly one year of implementation of the two-tier local government model, reviewing achievements, limitations and challenges while proposing practical recommendations for its further development.

The discussions took place as Vietnam enters a new stage of development marked by growing demands for governance reform, digital transformation, decentralisation and the improvement of institutions to support rapid and sustainable development.

According to participants, the shift to a two-tier local government model represents a strategic breakthrough in efforts to reform the organisation of Vietnam's political system, streamline the administrative apparatus and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Party leadership and state management.

Since the model was introduced on July 1, 2025, it has begun to demonstrate advantages in simplifying administrative procedures, strengthening the initiative of grassroots authorities and reducing unnecessary intermediate layers.

The implementation process has also revealed a number of challenges, including gaps and overlaps in legal regulations following the removal of the district-level administration, heavy workloads facing commune-level officials, and shortcomings in digital infrastructure, data management and system connectivity.

In his address at the opening session, Nguyen Van Phong, Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, said the model had delivered encouraging initial results after nearly a year of operation but still required further research, review and evaluation.

He underlined the need to continue improving institutions, decentralisation mechanisms, organisational structures, human resources, digital infrastructure, data systems, operational procedures and coordination mechanisms among agencies and levels of government.

The seminar provided an opportunity for policymakers, experts, researchers and practitioners to examine both theoretical and practical issues, identify obstacles and propose solutions to further refine the model, he added.

As Party agencies and government bodies are currently reviewing the reorganisation of the political system under the new framework, participants said the event will provide both theoretical and practical input for the continued development of the two-tier local government model.

Recommendations and findings from the seminar will be studied and incorporated into an advisory report to be submitted to the Politburo, the Party Secretariat and the Party Central Committee.

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