Joint Circular No. 06/2006/TTLT-BTNMT-BNV-BNG-BQP guiding the management of surveying and mapping work concerning administrative boundaries and national borders.

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines for managing surveying and mapping work concerning administrative boundaries and national borders

Pursuant to Decree No. 12/2002/NĐ-CP dated January 22, 2002 of the Government on surveying and mapping activities;
To unify the management of surveying and mapping work concerning administrative boundaries and national borders nationwide; the Ministries of Natural Resources and Environment, Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and National Defense provide guidelines as follows:

Section 1

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Thông tư này quy định chi tiết khoản 4 Điều 38 Luật Thủy sản số 18/2017/QH14 đã được sửa đổi, bổ sung tại điểm c khoản 21 Điều 14 Luật số 146/2025/QH15.

These Circulars stipulate the management of surveying and mapping work concerning administrative boundaries at all levels and national borders on land, at sea, and maritime boundaries under the sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Thông tư này áp dụng đối với tổ chức, cá nhân có liên quan đến hoạt động kinh doanh đối tượng thủy sản nuôi chủ lực trên lãnh thổ Việt Nam.

a) The state management agency responsible for surveying and mapping work concerning administrative boundaries and national borders.

b) Organizations and individuals engaged in surveying activities related to administrative boundaries at all levels and national borders.

In this technical regulation, the following terms are understood as follows:

In this Circular, the following terms shall be understood as follows:

a) Determination of administrative boundary lines involves identifying administrative boundary lines, setting up boundary markers on the ground, and representing them on maps with confirmation from relevant administrative units.

b) Adjustment of administrative boundaries refers to the establishment of new administrative units, merging, dividing administrative units, or adjusting the natural area and population of one or more administrative units for one or more other administrative units according to decisions made by competent state agencies.

c) Disputes over administrative boundaries involve actions disputing land, water surface, islands, and maritime islands management rights related to the administrative boundaries of adjacent administrative units.

d) Boundary delimitation and marker placement involve delineating national borders and placing border markers on the ground based on the results of border demarcation between countries sharing borders.

đ) Maritime islands refer to concepts encompassing elements related to border lines, maritime boundaries, and islands, island groups under the sovereignty of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

e) Special thematic map of the national border line is a topographic map showing the results of resolving the border line on land between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and neighboring countries.

g) Special thematic diagram of the national border line is a diagram drawn from a topographic map showing the results of resolving the border line on land between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and neighboring countries.

h) Thematic nautical chart for delimiting borders and maritime boundaries is a nautical chart showing the results of resolving national borders and maritime boundaries between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and neighboring countries.

i) Standard set of maps on borders and maritime islands is a set of maps fully reflecting the results of resolving the border line on land, maritime boundaries, and factors related to maritime islands between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and neighboring countries or according to the policy of the Vietnamese State; this set of maps is used to guide and verify the representation of national borders and maritime islands on maps.

Section 2

STATE MANAGEMENT OF SURVEYING AND MAPPING WORK

CONCERNING ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARIES

Responsibilities of ministries, sectors, and People's Committees at all levels regarding surveying and mapping work concerning administrative boundaries

1. Responsibilities of the Ministries and People's Committees at all levels:

1. 1. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment:

a) Issuing technical regulations and economic-technical norms for determining administrative boundaries, establishing administrative boundary files;

b) Participating in reviewing administrative boundary files at all levels;

c) Leading the review of the representation of administrative boundary lines on various types of maps specified in point a, Clause 4.1 of this Section before selling or submitting for storage;

d) Collecting necessary surveying and mapping materials and coordinating with competent state agencies to resolve disputes over administrative boundaries;

đ) Collecting and updating information on changes in administrative boundaries at all levels. Providing materials and maps related to administrative boundaries to state agencies, organizations, and individuals in accordance with the law.

1. 2. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Home Affairs:

a) Issuing regulations on procedures and formalities for determining and adjusting administrative boundaries, establishing and managing administrative boundary files, and managing boundary markers;

b) Guiding localities to organize the implementation of administrative boundary determination according to decisions of competent state agencies;

c) Leading the review of administrative boundary files at all levels;

d) Participating in directing the representation of administrative boundary lines on maps in areas where there are disputes over administrative boundaries;

đ) Providing the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of National Defense with materials on changes in administrative boundaries at all levels immediately after decisions on adjusting administrative boundaries by competent authorities; providing administrative boundary materials to state agencies, organizations, and individuals in accordance with the law.

1. 3. Responsibilities of the Ministry of National Defense: Representing administrative boundary lines at all levels on products such as maps established by the Ministry of National Defense for defense and security purposes based on administrative boundary materials provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

1. 4. Responsibilities of People's Committees at all levels:

a) Establishing files for the purpose of determining and adjusting administrative boundaries (if applicable); organizing the implementation of administrative boundary determination after receiving decisions from competent state agencies;

b) Providing materials and maps to serve the resolution of disputes over administrative boundaries upon request of competent state agencies;

c) Providing and guiding organizations and individuals permitted to establish and publish maps in their locality with administrative boundary materials to accurately represent administrative boundary lines on maps.

2. Management and use of administrative boundary files and markers

2. The People's Committee of communes, towns, wards shall be responsible for managing administrative boundary markers on the ground at their localities; in case administrative boundary markers are displaced or damaged, they must promptly report in writing to the People's Committee of districts, cities under provinces (hereinafter referred to collectively as the People's Committee of district level), which will consolidate the reports and submit them to the People's Committee of provinces, centrally-administered municipalities (hereinafter referred to collectively as the People's Committee of provincial level) to develop solutions.

2. 3. The use of administrative boundary files shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Government Decree No. 119/CP dated September 16, 1994 on the management and use of administrative boundary files, administrative boundary maps, and administrative boundary markers at all levels.

3. Reviewing the quality of administrative boundary files at all levels

3. 1. The Ministry of Home Affairs shall take the lead and bear responsibility for reviewing the legal basis; the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall cooperate and bear responsibility for reviewing technical contents.

3. 2. The objects of review Administrative boundary files newly established or supplemented and revised according to decisions on delineation and adjustment of administrative boundaries by competent state agencies.

3. 3. Administrative boundary files Administrative boundary files include:

a) Decision of the competent state agency regarding the establishment of administrative units or the adjustment of administrative boundaries (if applicable);

b) Administrative boundary map;

c) Diagram of the positions of administrative boundary markers;

d) Table of coordinates of administrative boundary markers and characteristic points on administrative boundaries;

đ) Description of the general situation of administrative boundaries;

e) Record confirming the description of administrative boundaries;

g) Statistical form on geographical elements related to administrative boundaries;

h) Record of handover of administrative boundary markers;

i) Statistics of documents on administrative boundaries of subordinate administrative units.

3. 4. Content of review The content of review includes:

a) Completeness of the file: The file must ensure completeness of all components specified in Point 3.3 of this Section;

b) Legal validity of the file: The file must have complete signatures and seals of the local administrative unit, relevant administrative units, and superior administrative agencies;

c) Accuracy of the file: Descriptions of administrative boundaries and boundary markers must be consistent with the diagram of marker positions, administrative boundary maps, and actual conditions;

d) Consistency of the file: The representation of administrative boundaries and marker positions in the file of lower-level administrative units must be consistent with those in the files of adjacent administrative units and higher-level administrative units.

3. 5. Procedure for review

The review process shall be carried out as follows:

a) After completing the establishment or supplementation and revision of administrative boundary files at all levels according to decisions on delineation and adjustment of administrative boundaries by competent state agencies, the People's Committee of provincial level shall report in writing to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to organize the review.

b) Within thirty (30) working days from the date of receipt of complete files for review, the Ministry of Home Affairs shall take the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to organize the review.

c) The results of the review shall be reflected in writing. The review document shall be prepared in three (03) copies, one copy sent to the People's Committee of provincial level, one copy retained by the Ministry of Home Affairs, and one copy retained by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

d) Within thirty (30) working days from the date of receipt of the review document, the People's Committee of provincial level shall be responsible for supplementing and revising administrative boundary files and reporting in writing to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Within fifteen (15) working days from the date of receipt of the report, the Ministry of Home Affairs shall examine and issue a decision to archive, manage, and use the administrative boundary files.

3. 6. Responsibilities of the People's Committee of provincial level

The People's Committee of provincial level shall be responsible for fully supplementing and revising the contents according to the opinions of the reviewing agencies.

4. Reviewing the representation of administrative boundaries and related factors on maps before publication or submission for archiving

4. 1. Authority and objects of review

a) The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall review topographic maps and base maps at scales of 1/50,000 and larger printed on paper or complete digital maps, national administrative maps, and provincial administrative maps.

b) The Ministry of National Defense shall review maps established and published by the Ministry of National Defense for defense and security purposes.

c) In addition to the maps specified in subpoint a of this point, organizations and individuals measuring and establishing maps or publishing maps (collectively referred to as map publishing entities) shall be responsible for representing administrative boundaries at all levels on maps and must clearly note the source of the materials used.

4. 2. Review files Review files include:

a) A document requesting review;

b) Types of maps proposed for review as specified in subpoint a of Point 4.1 of this Section.

4. 3. Content of review The content of review includes:

a) Representation of administrative boundaries and boundary markers on maps;

b) Topographical features, landforms, place names, water systems, and residential areas related to administrative boundaries and boundary markers at all levels represented on maps.

4. 4. Procedure for review The review process shall be carried out as follows:

a) Map publishing entities shall submit two (02) sets of review files as specified in Point 4.2 of this Section to the reviewing agency for review.

b) Within twenty-five (25) working days from the date of receipt of complete valid files, the reviewing agency must complete the review. The review results shall be sent to the map publishing entity one (01) set and one (01) set retained by the reviewing agency.

If the map does not contain errors, the reviewing agency shall confirm its publication or submission for archiving; if the map contains errors, the reviewing agency shall require the map publishing entity to make corrections and supplements.

4. 5. Responsibilities of map publishing entities

a) Contact the reviewing agency to obtain guidance and provide information and materials related to administrative boundaries.

b) Fully supplement and revise the contents according to the requirements of the reviewing agency; in case of different opinions, report to the reviewing agency for resolution.

c) The product after publication must be sent to the competent authority one (01) set for storage.

Section 3

STATE MANAGEMENT OF SURVEYING AND MAP WORKSREGARDING NATIONAL BOUNDARIES

1. Responsibilities of Ministries, sectors, People's Committees of provinces bordering national boundaries and islands

1.1. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

a) Issuing technical regulations and economic-technical norms for surveying and mapping activities related to national boundaries and islands;

b) Leading the implementation of surveying and mapping activities related to national boundaries and islands to ensure the accuracy of coordinates and heights of national boundary markers, points dividing maritime boundaries, and base points for calculating the width of territorial seas;

c) Participating in demarcation and setting up boundary markers on land, delimitation of maritime boundaries to ensure the accuracy of the representation of the national boundary lines, national boundary markers on sketches, maps, and nautical charts;

d) Organizing negotiations with the technical responsible agencies of neighboring countries to unify technical standards for surveying and mapping activities serving national boundary and island works;

đ) Leading and coordinating with relevant agencies to evaluate the accuracy of various types of maps and nautical charts serving national boundary and island works;

e) Leading and coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to establish and update standard maps regarding national boundaries and islands;

g) Leading the technical review of the representation of national boundaries and islands on various types of maps and nautical charts before publication or submission for storage;

h) Providing guidance and information about national boundaries and islands to map publishing units in accordance with the law.

1.2. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

a) Leading negotiations with neighboring countries to unify legal bases for implementing surveying and mapping activities related to national boundaries and islands;

b) Ensuring legal bases for coordinate data of national boundary markers, coordinates of points dividing land and maritime boundary lines, and base points for calculating the width of territorial seas;

c) Ensuring legal bases for the representation of the national boundary on maps, sketches, and nautical charts attached to international treaties on the delimitation of land and maritime boundaries between Vietnam and neighboring countries;

d) Leading the organization of demarcation and setting up boundary markers on land and delimitation of maritime boundaries;

đ) Promptly informing relevant ministries, sectors, and localities of new information about national boundaries and islands to serve surveying and map publication;

e) Participating in establishing standard maps regarding national boundaries and islands; in cases where national boundaries have not been demarcated and marked according to international treaties or delimited with neighboring countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to unify the representation of national boundaries and islands in accordance with state policy; participating in reviewing legal bases to resolve issues related to the representation of national boundaries and islands on maps and nautical charts.

1.3. Responsibilities of the Ministry of National Defense

a) Issuing regulations on procedures, formalities, licensing, and supervision of surveying and mapping activities in border areas and islands under the management of the Ministry of National Defense;

b) Implementing surveying and mapping activities to serve defense and security purposes in border areas and islands under the management of the Ministry of National Defense;

c) Ensuring security for organizations conducting surveying and mapping activities in border areas and islands.

1.4. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Interior Provide administrative place names in border areas and island names.

1.5. Responsibilities of the People's Committee of provinces bordering national boundaries and islands

a) Participating in demarcation and setting up boundary markers on land, surveying islands and archipelagos within their jurisdiction;

b) Creating favorable conditions for organizations to conduct surveying and mapping activities related to national boundaries and islands within their jurisdiction;

2. Management, exploitation, and utilization of surveying and mapping materials related to national boundaries

2.1. Management of surveying and mapping materials related to national boundaries

a) The set of maps, sketches, and nautical charts attached to international treaties on land and maritime national boundaries is managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment stores one (01) set to serve state management.

b) Surveying, mapping, and mapping materials related to national boundaries and islands that are relevant to land and maritime national boundaries are stored at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

c) Films and photographs taken from aircraft, edited films for printing maps related to land and maritime national boundaries are stored at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

2.2. Exploitation and utilization of surveying and mapping materials related to national boundaries

a) Ministries, sectors, localities, and organizations and individuals who need to exploit and utilize specialized materials, maps, sketches, and nautical charts on national boundaries and islands must obtain written approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

b) The provision of information and surveying and mapping materials related to national boundaries and islands to foreign organizations and individuals shall be carried out in accordance with the law.

c) Agencies and organizations may not use maps and nautical charts with errors in national boundaries and islands for display in public offices or for use with foreign organizations and individuals.

3. Review of the representation of national boundaries and factors related to national boundaries and islands on various types of maps and nautical charts before publication or submission for storage

3.1. Review authority and objects of review

a) The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment leads and coordinates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to review national boundaries and islands on printed publications on paper or complete digital maps before publication or submission for storage according to standard maps on national boundaries and islands.

b) The Ministry of National Defense reviews maps, sketches, and nautical charts published by the Ministry of National Defense to serve defense and security.

3.2. Review dossier The review dossier includes:

a) Request for review of national boundaries and islands;

b) Complete printed maps, sketches, and nautical charts on paper or complete digital maps related to national boundaries on land and sea that need to be reviewed.

3.3. Content of review The content of review includes:

a) Border lines, border markers, islands depicted on maps, nautical charts, diagrams;

b) Topographical features, objects, water systems, residential areas, and place names related to border lines, border markers, islands depicted on maps, nautical charts, diagrams.

3. 4. Review Procedure The review shall be conducted in accordance with the following procedure:

a) The map publishing unit submits two (02) sets of files as specified in Point 3.2 of this Section to the reviewing authority for review;

b) Within twenty-five (25) working days from the date of receipt of complete and valid files, the reviewing authority must complete the review. The results of the review are sent to the map publishing unit one (01) set, and retained by the reviewing authority one (01) set;

In case the map has no errors, the reviewing authority confirms its publication or submission for storage; in case the map contains errors, the reviewing authority requires the map publishing unit to make corrections and supplements.

3. 5. Responsibilities of the Map Publishing Unit

a) Contact the reviewing authority to obtain guidance and provide relevant information concerning borders and islands;

b) Fully supplement and correct all contents according to the requirements of the reviewing authority; in case there are differing opinions, report to the reviewing authority for resolution.

c) The product after publication must be sent to the competent authority one (01) set for storage.

Section 4

IMPLEMENTATION

1. Organizations and individuals publishing, distributing, and circulating map products with errors regarding administrative boundaries, national borders, and islands shall be subject to disciplinary action, administrative penalties, or criminal liability追究行政责任，具体处罚方式依照法律规定。

2. This Circular takes effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

3. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government, People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities, organizations, and individuals involved in surveying and mapping activities concerning administrative boundaries and national borders shall be responsible for implementing this Circular. Any issues encountered during implementation should be promptly reported to the relevant ministries for resolution./.