The Vietnamese government is seeking to build a completely new district for wealthy citizens as well as a new economic center.

Thanh Niên and Tuổi Trẻ, two newspapers in Vietnam, describe that the new District 2 will be as modern as Singapore and Hong Kong.

[citation needed] Less prosperous agricultural workers of District 2 have been forced to move in slum clearance measures.

District 2, particularly Thảo Điền ward, has a large portion of Ho Chi Minh City's expatriate community, and as such has a large number of restaurants, bars and shops selling European foods, particularly the high street Xuân Thủy.

[3] Traffic has become a major problem in District 2 due to its proximity to several international schools and many residents who travel by private vehicle.