A controversial ecotourism project in Hà Nội secured a mandate for immediate implementation less than 24 hours after city finance officials declared it was only an unapproved proposal.
The Latest: On the afternoon of Oct. 5, Hà Nội’s Department of Finance stated that the Ba Vì Safari project remained only a business proposal.
- However, the following morning on Oct. 6, the city’s Party Committee announced a goal of breaking ground on Oct. 10.
The Details: At an Oct. 5 afternoon news conference regarding the Ba Vì Safari project, Đỗ Thu Hằng, deputy director of the Department of Finance in Hà Nội, said, “This is only the investor’s initial proposal, not yet an approved city policy.”
- Hằng explained that the project’s application for investment policy approval was under review before being submitted to city authorities for consideration. Detailed planning would follow. During that process, she said, project information would be disclosed and residents consulted as required.
Less than a day later, on the morning of Oct. 6, Tuổi Trẻ reported that Hà Nội Party Secretary Trần Đức Thắng had signed Resolution No. 29 of the municipal Party Committee, approving “the immediate implementation and investment policy for the Ba Vì Safari Park project in Ba Vì commune, Hà Nội.”
- The resolution added: “Aim to break ground on the project on the occasion of the Oct. 10 anniversary of the capital’s liberation.”
The Background: Although Resolution No. 29 only sets a goal of breaking ground around the Oct. 10 anniversary, the Ba Vì commune government’s Facebook page had already published a post on Sept. 28 stating that the groundbreaking ceremony would take place Oct. 10.
- On that same day–Sept. 28—domestic media reported that Mặt Trời Real Estate Group Joint Stock Company, a Sun Group subsidiary, was seeking Hà Nội’s permission to develop an ecotourism complex in Ba Vì without competitive bidding.
- The project had not been approved at the time, but the commune government had already announced an Oct. 10 groundbreaking.
Angry that they had not been consulted and fearing the loss of their land, Ba Vì residents organized round-the-clock watches and displayed banners opposing the project.
- The company then “promised” to help residents in the project area transition to other occupations.
Why It Matters: The phrase “immediate implementation” in Resolution No. 29 is more than ordinary wording—it is a condition written into law.
Point a, Clause 4, Article 3 of the Capital Law No. 02/2026 includes projects requiring “immediate implementation” under directives from the Politburo, Secretariat, Government Party Committee or municipal Party Committee in the category of “large, important projects.”
- Projects in this category may qualify for special mechanisms. Under Clause 4, Article 22, procedures for special cases may select investors and contractors rather than ordinary competitive bidding.
Clause 3, Article 22, also allows the municipal People’s Council to adopt “other mechanisms and policies” that differ from statutory provisions when a project requires special arrangements, provided the competent authority agrees and central government agencies have been consulted.
Thành Phương wrote this news article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on October 6, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine translated it into English.
