Vietnam says it will withdraw Hanoi as host of the 2019 Asian Games, citing financial difficulties.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung announced the move Thursday on the government's official website.
With Vietnam's economy struggling, he said the state budget is limited and must be used for other immediate tasks.
Critics have said the games are too expensive for Vietnam to host. Last month, the government said it would take about $150 million to host the games. But others have said the price could be much higher.
Hanoi was awarded the games in 2012, beating out the Indonesian city of Surabaya. It is not known which city will now host the 2019 games.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung announced the move Thursday on the government's official website.
With Vietnam's economy struggling, he said the state budget is limited and must be used for other immediate tasks.
Critics have said the games are too expensive for Vietnam to host. Last month, the government said it would take about $150 million to host the games. But others have said the price could be much higher.
Hanoi was awarded the games in 2012, beating out the Indonesian city of Surabaya. It is not known which city will now host the 2019 games.