While the current 5 centrally-governed cities (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho) have high population density, Hue's development model does not develop high-density residential areas, housing, or compact urban areas... to create conditions for Hue to preserve, conserve, and promote the unique heritage values ​​of the world and the whole country.

PHOTO: NGUYEN TA PHONG

The city has 8 world heritage sites.

Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Information of Thua Thien-Hue province, said: Hue is the only locality in Vietnam as well as in Southeast Asia that has 8 heritages recognized by UNESCO, including 6 heritages of Hue alone including: Complex of Hue Monuments, Nha Nhac - Vietnamese royal court music, Nguyen Dynasty woodblocks, Nguyen Dynasty royal records, Poetry and literature on Hue royal architecture, reliefs cast on nine bronze cauldrons (Cuu Dinh) in Hue Imperial Palace; and 2 heritages shared with other localities: Practice of worshipping the Mother Goddess of the Three Palaces, Central Vietnam's Bai Choi art.

PHOTO: BAO MINH

Among the approximately 1,000 relics and scenic spots currently owned, Thua Thien-Hue has 3 special national relics, 89 national relics, 101 provincial relics and 205 inventoried relics. This is also a land with an extremely rich treasure of intangible cultural heritage with nearly 500 festivals, dozens of traditional craft villages, a massive culinary heritage with thousands of royal and folk dishes. The ancient capital of Hue is also famous for its rich documentary heritage systems, unique and diverse antiquities, of which 9 groups with 35 antiquities have been recognized as national treasures... With diverse terrain, Thua Thien-Hue also owns unique natural heritages: Huong River, Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon system, the largest in Southeast Asia, Bach Ma National Forest with rich flora and fauna, a coastline of more than 120 km with many beautiful bays and beaches...

Not developed with high population density

According to Mr. Le Truong Luu, Secretary of the Thua Thien-Hue Provincial Party Committee, the model of heritage, ecological, landscape, environmentally friendly and smart urban areas, without developing high-density residential areas, compact urban areas to harmoniously solve the problem of conservation and development, creating conditions for Hue to preserve, conserve and promote better the unique heritage values ​​of the world and the whole country. Mr. Phan Ngoc Tho, former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, former Chairman of the People's Committee of Thua Thien-Hue Province, said that Hue City is representing the whole country to inherit, preserve and promote the unique cultural values ​​of the nation, the heritage of the ancient capital of Hue. It is the cultural values ​​of Hue and the people of Hue that make the difference in the process of formation and sustainable development of the ancient capital, which is the soul for the development of heritage urban areas.

PHOTO: NGUYEN TA PHONG

"Hue City will develop in the direction of a heritage urban area, with a moderate population density, a heritage urban area as the center connecting with a system of satellite cities, modern cities and ecological towns distributed throughout the province. Cultural industry, creative industry and the four-center platform will be the driving force for growth, promoting the green economy and knowledge economy of Hue city," Mr. Phan Ngoc Tho emphasized.

The challenge between conservation and development

Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Thua Thien-Hue Province, said that when Hue becomes a city directly under the Central Government, there are many issues that need to be resolved, but one of the biggest challenges is to ensure harmony between the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage values ​​and economic development trends in the context of urban development. "The development process of Hue always has to consider between heritage preservation and urban development," said Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong. "A specific story is that in meetings with experts, researchers and relevant agencies, there are many different opinions on how to develop without damaging the cultural values ​​of the city; there are proposals for large investment projects, but many are concerned that they will negatively affect relics and the environmental landscape. Therefore, Hue, on the one hand, promotes investment calling for economic development, but always adheres to the development goal associated with preserving the environmental landscape and preserving heritage and cultural values, although this has had a limited impact on the socio-economic development of the province," Mr. Nguyen Van Phuong shared.