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The Vietnamese government has rejected Ho Chi Minh City's plan to mark the April 30 Reunification Day with a firework display, a move which resonates with an earlier call for austerity during the Lunar New Year.
Municipal authorities had planned to hold a 15-minute fireworks display over Thu Thiem Tunnel and three other locations in the city to mark the 42nd anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and Labor Day.
In line with the Communist Party's previous call for austerity, provinces and cities were asked to skip traditional fireworks displays for the Lunar New Year festival and allocate the money they would have burnt to the poor.
The proposed display for Reunification Day was initially included as part of a series of festive events which also include art performances and a light show aimed at attracting more visitors to Vietnam's southern metropolis. The city is looking to turn tourism into a key sector to spearhead its development.
Reunification Day and Labor Day are public holidays in Vietnam.
