Hue has been a centrally governed municipality for more than a year, making planning adjustments subject to many new requirements. Regarding this issue, Dr. Ngo Viet Nam Son, Architect, shared his perspectives with Hue Today Weekly on development thinking, regional connectivity, and long-term growth drivers for Hue heritage city.

The 2021-2025 period can be regarded as one of the most extraordinary stages in the development history of Hue City. This was not merely a term of socio-economic development following a conventional trajectory, but rather a period of “running while lining up”: simultaneously coping with unprecedented shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic and global instability, while concentrating resources to realize the strategic goal of becoming a centrally governed municipality.

The review and adjustment of Hue’s urban master plan to 2045, with a vision toward 2065, marks a pivotal moment for the city’s future development. As Hue has recently become a centrally-run governed municipality, the planning process goes beyond merely updating technical indicators or redefining urban boundaries; it opens an opportunity to redefine a long-term development vision for one of Vietnam’s most distinctive heritage cities.

Hue is undergoing a powerful transformation as it has become a centrally governed city, not only leveraging its natural advantages and distinctive cultural heritage but also proactively seeking new growth drivers. The development of a green logistics center and the establishment of a Free Trade Zone (FTZ) are viewed as strategic breakthroughs for the Ancient Capital.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has just announced the 2024 environmental protection rankings (covering 63 provinces and centrally governed cities before administrative mergers) based on the PEPI Index. Thua Thien Hue Province, now Hue City, has risen to claim first place on the rankings.

Just one year after becoming the country’s sixth centrally governed municipality, Hue City has begun a new and more dynamic development journey. A series of key transport infrastructure projects have been invested in and completed, contributing to a transformation of the urban landscape and opening up numerous opportunities for local socio-economic development.

After the national reunification, Thanh Thuy, Phu Bai, and Huong Thuy wards (formerly Huong Thuy Town), once purely agricultural with virtually no urban infrastructure, have undergone sweeping changes, worthy of their role as the southern growth engine of centrally governed Hue City.

The Cultural Heritage Law No. 45/2025/QH15, passed by the 15th National Assembly on November 23, 2024, at its 8th session, will officially take effect on July 1, 2025. For Hue, a centrally-governed municipality and Vietnam's first heritage and cultural city, the (amended) Cultural Heritage Law plays a crucial role in improving the effectiveness of managing, protecting, and promoting cultural heritage.

After 37 years of waiting, the Miss Vietnam beauty pageant is finally being held for the first time in Hue Imperial Citadel under the unique contexts, as Hue has just officially become a centrally governed municipality, and the city is hosting the National Tourism Year and Hue Festival 2025.

The generation of national literary writers born in the Year of the Snake in Hue left a notable mark with many respected authors. Each one brought their own distinctive qualities, enriching and beautifying the literature of the region, making the cultural identity of Hue even stronger. This became even clearer and stronger when Hue became a centrally governed city.