Ho Chi Minh City Unveils 100‑Year Super‑City Master Plan

At a planning forum on 2 June, senior officials including former Deputy Minister of Construction Trần Ngọc Chính and former deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City delegation Trần Du Lịch outlined a new comprehensive 100‑year vision for the city. The plan re‑positions Ho Chi Minh City as a “super‑city sea,” linking its 6 700 km² area and more than 300 km of coastline to regional development in the Mekong Delta, Central‑South Vietnam and the broader South‑East Asian maritime space.

Key economic targets aim for a per‑capita gross regional domestic product of US$45 000 by 2035, US$75 000 by 2045 and US$100 000 by 2075, coinciding with the 100‑year anniversary of Vietnam’s reunification. The strategy calls for expanding deep‑water ports such as Cái Mép‑Thị Vải to a capacity of around 200 million tonnes annually, leveraging Vũng Tàu’s oil‑gas infrastructure, and developing coastal districts like Cần Giờ and Con Dao as integral parts of the metropolitan ecosystem.

The plan follows Politburo Resolution 09 and an amendment to Resolution 260, which formalise a new integrated development model after the recent merger of three surrounding provinces. Ho Chi Minh City already contributes over 23 % of national GDP, more than 30 % of state revenue and about 20.7 % of Vietnam’s trade, underscoring the strategic importance of the proposed reforms.