Plans for a Vietnam smart city on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City are now in jeopardy after it was revealed an aspect of the project doesn’t have legal precedent. According to VN Express, the Vietnam Construction Ministry did not believe the smart city had the right to combine three districts in Ho Chi Minh City that project officials deem to be necessary.
The smart city plans originally called for a hi-tech park in District 9, a university precinct in Thu Duc District and a new urban area and financial center on the Thu Thiem Peninsula in District 2 to be combined into a “city within a city”. However, no legal framework exists that would allow for the creation of such an area.
The Construction Ministry also noted that it wasn’t clear if a general urban was studied and approved. While there have been discussions for an innovative urban area in this part of Ho Chi Minh City, it was unclear if the master plan approved by the government in 2010 allowed for the merging of existing districts.
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Spanning more than 54,300 acres and with a population of over 1.1 million, planners of the Vietnam smart city believe the project is vital to the future success of the country. They added that plans can only succeed if the three Ho Chi Minh City districts are allowed to be connected.
The smart city was launched in 2017 with the project being hailed as Vietnam’s Silicon Valley when first announced. Those overseeing building of the project view it as having the potential to be a real gamechanger for the country.
Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong, head of a 22-person committee leading the project, told VN Express that the smart city would boost the city’s economy while becoming a key economic zone for southern Vietnam. This area is seen as a strategic center for Vietnam’s Industry 4.0 ambitions.
