PM Le Minh Hung works with Dong Nai CPC’s Standing Board

On June 13, Politburo Member and Prime Minister (PM) Le Minh Hung, together with the Government’s working delegation, worked with the Dong Nai City Party Committee (CPC)’s Standing Board.

Politburo Member and Permanent Deputy PM Pham Gia Tuc; Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy PM Nguyen Van Thang; and leaders of central departments, ministries, sectors, and agencies also attended the session.

The working delegation was received by Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Dong Nai CPC, and Head of the Dong Nai National Assembly Delegation Vu Hong Van; standing members of the CPC and members of the CPC’s Standing Board; and leaders of local departments and sectors.

Politburo Member and PM Le Minh Hung provides directions regarding the meeting agenda with the CPC’s Standing Board. Photo: Cong Nghia

At the session, after the PM and the working delegation watched a documentary report on the city's socio-economic performance during the first six months of 2026, Deputy Secretary of the CPC and Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Van Ut, on behalf of the CPC’s Standing Board, presented the city's proposals to the PM and the working delegation.

Dong Nai has strong potential for breakthrough growth

Deputy Secretary of the CPC and Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Van Ut emphasized that Dong Nai is currently facing significant opportunities while also confronting numerous difficulties and challenges. Specifically, these include challenges in planning management, organizing development space, and transport infrastructure. Planning remains fragmented and lacks regional connectivity and a long-term vision. Some urban areas have developed in a fragmented manner, while many projects remain behind schedule, resulting in the inefficient use of land resources. The Dong Nai River's significant potential has not yet been effectively utilized, while uncontrolled riverside development has yet to generate momentum for the development of a modern urban area.

Politburo Member and PM Le Minh Hung meets with leaders of Dong Nai City. Photo: Cong Nghia

Furthermore, the infrastructure system, particularly regional transport infrastructure and connections to Long Thanh International Airport, has not met the development requirements of the new phase. Several transport routes are overloaded, and connectivity with Ho Chi Minh City and other localities in the region remains limited, increasing logistics costs and affecting the competitiveness of the economy.

The city also faces challenges related to the quality of foreign investment attraction, which has not yet matched its development potential. Although Dong Nai currently has approximately 2,300 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with total registered capital exceeding 45 billion USD, most remain concentrated in processing and labor-intensive industries with low value-added. Linkages between FDI enterprises and domestic firms remain limited, the proportion of high-tech projects is still low, and pressure continues to increase on social housing, healthcare, education, and urban infrastructure for workers. The current workforce quality does not meet the development requirements of the new phase, particularly the demand for personnel in high technology, logistics, digital transformation, and innovation.

Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy PM Nguyen Van Thang speaks at the session. Photo: Cong Nghia

In addition, the disbursement progress of public investment capital has not met planned targets due to limitations such as inadequate investment preparation and site clearance, which have failed to satisfy project implementation requirements.

Standing members of the CPC and members of the CPC’s Standing Board attend the session. Photo: Cong Nghia

According to Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Van Ut, despite having the fourth-largest budget revenues in the country, local budget resources currently do not meet the requirements for investment in strategic infrastructure, urban infrastructure, and social welfare in the new era. Meanwhile, development investment demand for the 2026-2030 period is extremely high, while the city's capacity to balance resources remains limited. Estimated investment demand for 2026-2030 is approximately 300 trillion VND, whereas the city's balancing capacity is estimated at only about 150 trillion VND, leaving a shortfall of approximately 150 trillion VND during the period.

Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the CPC, and Head of the Dong Nai National Assembly Delegation Vu Hong Van speaks at the session. Photo: Cong Nghia

In the areas of culture, society, science and technology, and digital transformation, numerous limitations remain that do not meet the development requirements of a growth-driving urban center. The healthcare, education, culture, and sports systems remain insufficient and lack synchronization. School overcrowding and shortages of highly qualified medical personnel persist. Furthermore, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation have not yet fulfilled their role as growth drivers, while information technology infrastructure and the digital transformation process have not met the requirements for development in the new era.

Regarding the initial phase of implementing the two-tier local government model, forecasting and comprehensive assessments of difficulties and obstacles related to organizational and personnel arrangements have not been fully adequate. Because of the requirement to ensure that the apparatus became operational immediately following reorganization, the assignment of officials did not fully assess each individual's capabilities, strengths, and suitability for specific positions. The authority and functions of communes and wards are expanding, but staff qualifications have not kept pace, resulting in low work efficiency and numerous difficulties.

Proposing multiple mechanisms for Dong Nai's breakthrough development

Given the city's difficulties, Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Van Ut proposed several specific recommendations to the PM. According to him, the CPC’s Standing Board deeply understands that Dong Nai must develop not only for itself but also to become a new national growth pole, a center for high-tech industry, and international logistics, a modern airport urban area, and a gateway connecting Vietnam with the world.

To unlock development resources for Dong Nai, lay the foundation for achieving double-digit economic growth, promote its role as a new national growth pole, and contribute positively to the country's overall development in the new era, Dong Nai requested that the PM and the Government working delegation consider and direct the following matters:

First, based on the Conclusion Notice issued following the Party General Secretary and State President To Lam’s working session with the Dong Nai CPC’s Standing Board, the Dong Nai CPC completed its proposal and submitted Report No. 39-TTr/TU dated June 9, 2026, to the Politburo for consideration of issuing a resolution on the construction and development of Dong Nai city through 2035, with a vision to 2065. At the same time, the Dong Nai People's Committee issued Document No. 2643/UBND-TH dated June 9, 2026, submitting it to the Government and the Ministry of Finance for consideration and submission to the National Assembly to issue a resolution on specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Dong Nai City.

Dong Nai City requested that the Government, the PM, and ministries and sectors continue supporting and coordinating with the city, creating favorable conditions to promptly complete the tasks directed by the Politburo.

Regarding the formulation of the Comprehensive Master Plan for Dong Nai, the city requested that the PM consider authorizing the municipal People's Council to issue a resolution piloting regulations on certain contents, cost norms, unit prices, and document components. These regulations would support the preparation of the Comprehensive Master Plan for Dong Nai City.

The city also requested permission to apply contractor appointment procedures for capable and experienced consulting firms to formulate the Comprehensive Master Plan for Dong Nai City, ensuring progress, quality, and compliance with the city's development requirements in accordance with regulations.

Although Dong Nai is a locality with the fourth-largest budget revenues in the country, its budget retention ratio remains low. Therefore, the city requested that the PM approve support measures for Dong Nai through 2030. Specifically, the city budget should be permitted to retain 80% of the shared revenue ratio of revenues divided between the central and local budgets.

Additionally, the city budget should be entitled to the entire amount of revenue exceeding estimates from shared central-local revenues and revenues of which the central budget is entitled 100% within the locality. The city also requested entitlement to the full amount of revenue from land use fees and land rental fees under the city's management authority, including proceeds from land auctions.

The city requested that the Central Government provide resources to implement regional infrastructure projects, transport routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Long Thanh International Airport, railways, metro systems, ring roads, strategic transport projects in the southeastern region, and the city's key projects. The total investment required for these projects is approximately 300 trillion VND, while the locality has the capacity to balance only 150 trillion VND.

Regarding the Gia Nghia–Chon Thanh section of the Western North–South Expressway construction project, based on the investor's proposal and in accordance with the Law on Public-Private Partnership Investment, the city requested that the Ministry of Finance advise the Government to consider and submit to competent authorities a decision adjusting the project's investment policy. Specifically, it requested approval for an increase in central budget capital for component project 1, while also approving an extension of the implementation and disbursement period for central budget funds and excluding them from the 2026 disbursement ratio.

With strong political resolve, Dong Nai will continue to strengthen unity, promote innovation, and act decisively, effectively utilizing its potential and advantages, focusing on removing bottlenecks and unlocking resources, and striving to achieve a GRDP growth rate of 10% or higher and budget revenues of 150 trillion VND in 2026. Dong Nai aims to become a fast-growing, sustainable, civilized, and modern city, and an important national growth pole, worthy of the trust and expectations of the Government and the people nationwide.

By Cong Nghia – Translated by Minh Hong, Thu Ha