Ho Chi Minh City denies report on formation of 3 new districts

The Ho Chi Minh Department of Home Affairs has rejected a rumor that the city would set up Gia Dinh, Saigon, Cho Lon Districts by merging its six inner-city districts.

The rumor about the formation of these three new districts was spread on social media platforms on Saturday morning.

Nguyen Thi Hong Tham, deputy head of the department, confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that this news is fake, adding that it is not the first time that such rumor about the city’s plan to merge its districts has circulated.

A rumor about three plans on merging six inner-city districts in Ho Chi Minh City began circulating on social media platforms on August 4, 2023. Photo: T.M. / Tuoi Tre

Early last month, the city announced the implementation of the government’s Resolution 117 on arrangement of administrative units at district and commune levels in the 2023-25 period.

According to this resolution, the city found out that six districts in the city, including Phu Nhuan District and Districts 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, along with 142 wards and communes fail to meet the criteria in terms of acreage and population and thus need merging.

Right after these findings were announced, a rumor about three plans on merging these six districts began circulating on social media platforms on August 4.

Tham affirmed that the city has yet to work out any plan on the issue.

The official added that the department has to work with authorities in 22 districts and Thu Duc City to check if there is any administrative unit which has special criteria, such as having an isolated location, having stable boundaries since 1945, having an important position in terms of national defense and security, and is not subject to the arrangement.

After that, the city will carry out further steps, including drawing up a plan on the merging, submitting it to upper authorities for approval before implementing the merging in 2025, Tham elaborated.

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