The Ministry of Construction Friday approved a proposal to turn the hill resort town of Da Lat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong into a centrally governed city.

The proposal was submitted by the Lam Dong Province People’s Committee.

The ministry said Da Lat deserves the status as it is one of the tourism attractions in Vietnam.

The city also serves as a large scientific research and training center, and the main supplier of vegetables and flowers for domestic consumption and export, it said.

The Central Highlands city also plays an important role in ensuring national security and defense, the ministry said.

It has asked Lam Dong Province authorities to draft a plan for the separation of Da Lat from Lam Dong.

Vietnam currently has five centrally governed cities, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hai Phong and Can Tho.