Vietnam is a coastal country located in the central region of Southeast Asia, Vietnam has a sea area connecting the important sea transport route between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, especially the East Vietnam Sea are oil and container shipping routes from other countries to Japan, South Korea and China, which are consuming huge amounts of energy. Vietnam is in a position to have a potential for marine economic development such as shipbuilding, sea transport, port development, and waterworks, marine product exploitation, marine and oil and gas resource exploitation, marine tourism and islands, sea services, and other related industries. With such a potential position, the exploitation of the sea and the protection of the marine environment is an extremely important issue.

Vietnam is a coastal country located in the central region of Southeast Asia, Vietnam has a sea area connecting the important sea transport route between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, especially the East Vietnam Sea are oil and container shipping routes from other countries to Japan, South Korea and China, which are consuming huge amounts of energy. Vietnam is in a position to have a potential for marine economic development such as shipbuilding, sea transport, port development, and waterworks, marine product exploitation, marine and oil and gas resource exploitation, marine tourism and islands, sea services, and other related industries. With such a potential position, the exploitation of the sea and the protection of the marine environment is an extremely important issue.

Urban areas are constantly developing and rapidly, especially in recent times. According to the United Nations, in 1950 the global urban population accounted for only 29% of the world's population; this figure was 50% in 2009 and will be 60% in 2030 with about 5 billion people. In Vietnam, urban population is projected to account for 38% of the country's population by 2015, 45% of the country's population in 2020 and 50% of the national population by 2025 with about 25 million. In the process of urbanization with growth and development, cities often face significant challenges. These are: 1) Unbalanced development, over-focus on large cities makes the development gap between urban and rural areas more and more increasing; 2) Unsustainable development, rapid technical and social infrastructure systems degrading rapidly, especially housing and environmental sanitation; 3) The administrative management capacity of urban governments must often chase the rapid growth of urban areas; 4) Poverty, crime and unemployment often occur in rapidly growing cities but lack solid economic and technical bases. In order to have an identity of sustainable urban development, development cannot be separated from preserving stability in which urban management is always a very important task.

Urban areas are constantly developing and rapidly, especially in recent times. According to the United Nations, in 1950 the global urban population accounted for only 29% of the world's population; this figure was 50% in 2009 and will be 60% in 2030 with about 5 billion people. In Vietnam, urban population is projected to account for 38% of the country's population by 2015, 45% of the country's population in 2020 and 50% of the national population by 2025 with about 25 million. In the process of urbanization with growth and development, cities often face significant challenges. These are: 1) Unbalanced development, over-focus on large cities makes the development gap between urban and rural areas more and more increasing; 2) Unsustainable development, rapid technical and social infrastructure systems degrading rapidly, especially housing and environmental sanitation; 3) The administrative management capacity of urban governments must often chase the rapid growth of urban areas; 4) Poverty, crime and unemployment often occur in rapidly growing cities but lack solid economic and technical bases. In order to have an identity of sustainable urban development, development cannot be separated from preserving stability in which urban management is always a very important task.