The vision was discussed by experts, policymakers and consulting agencies at a conference titled “Ho Chi Minh City Master Plan – A 100-Year Vision” held on June 2.

According to preliminary proposals presented by the advisory team, the expanded Ho Chi Minh City would adopt a Polycentric Hyper City model, replacing the traditional urban expansion pattern centred on gradual outward growth from the downtown core.

The proposed development structure is based on five growth poles, five strategic corridors and ten governance zones intended to create an integrated urban network across the broader metropolitan area.

The five growth poles include an international financial and commercial centre, an eastern innovation hub, a northern industrial and logistics centre, a southern port, free-trade and energy hub, and a marine economy and tourism centre.

These zones would be connected through major infrastructure systems and strategic development corridors aimed at building a modern, internationally competitive urban space.

Sam Minh Tuan, deputy director of the National Institute of Urban and Rural Planning, said the integration of Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau is not simply an administrative expansion but an effort to create a new growth engine.

The merger should generate economic value far beyond the combined scale of the three localities, he emphasised.

Following the integration, the new Ho Chi Minh City now covers more than 6,700 square kilometers and has a population exceeding 14 million, making it one of Southeast Asia’s largest megacities. The expanded urban region would contribute more than 23% of Vietnam’s GDP and over 30% of national budget revenues.

Experts at the conference said the new planning strategy must move beyond traditional urban planning approaches.

Economist Tran Du Lich proposed shifting from a model focused primarily on urban land expansion toward the development of a globally competitive economic and innovation ecosystem.

Ho Chi Minh City should clearly define its role within the global network of cities and establish long-term development benchmarks for milestones such as 2035, 2045 and 2075, he suggested.

Several experts also stressed the importance of adopting a multi-centre urban development model linked to mass public transportation systems, with transit-oriented development (TOD) serving as a foundation for sustainable long-term growth.

Regional connectivity and the marine economy were also identified as key strategic advantages for the future city.

Experts said the new Ho Chi Minh City should position itself as a “coastal megacity,” leveraging more than 300 kilometers of coastline, deep-water ports, international shipping routes, marine tourism and the Can Gio coastal urban area to become a major maritime economic centre for Vietnam and the wider region.

City authorities described the conference as the first major scientific forum in the process of formulating the new master plan under updated national development orientations.

Discussions and recommendations from the event are expected to help shape the city’s long-term strategic development framework for the next century.