Urban development linked to improved quality of life

The new Law on Urban Development, recently passed by the National Assembly, provides an additional legal framework for spatial organization, investment, and urban development.

For Dong Nai, the Law on Urban Development, together with the Politburo’s Resolution No. 16-NQ/TW dated July 21, 2026, on building and developing Dong Nai City by 2035, with a vision to 2065 (referred to as Resolution No. 16), will create favorable mechanisms and policies for building a multi-centered, multi-purpose, green, and smart airport and riverside city. In this process, residents expect the city to develop strongly without sacrificing natural values or the quality of the living environment.

Nguyen Ai Quoc Street, Tran Bien Ward. Photo: Hoang Loc

Urban development for quality of life

On August 24, 2026, the 16th National Assembly passed the Law on Urban Development, consisting of five chapters and 66 articles, which will take effect on October 1, 2026. The law establishes mechanisms and policies to promote urban development, strengthen decentralization and delegation of authority, and create additional conditions for mobilizing resources for development.

For Dong Nai City, Resolution No. 16 provides guidance for planning based on open space and a multi-centered, multi-layered structure, with the river system and natural ecosystem serving as the landscape axis, toward the development of a green, smart city that adapts to climate change. By 2035, the city is expected to become a multi-centered and multi-purpose airport and riverside city; by 2045, it is to become a civilized, safe, livable, and happy city; and by 2065, it is to become a globally connected city with a high quality of life.

This orientation has gained public support. Nguyen Anh Dai, a resident of Bau Ham Commune, said people support infrastructure development and urban expansion because new projects will create better conditions for economic development and improve living standards. However, according to Dai, environmental considerations must be incorporated into the planning process from the outset.

"Everyone wants new residential areas, streets, and projects to be developed in a coordinated manner with trees, parks, drainage systems, and waste collection and wastewater treatment. The more the city develops, the better the living environment must be", said Dai.

The people-centered approach to urban development was emphasized by General Secretary and State President To Lam at the ceremony announcing the National Assembly's Resolution on the establishment of Dong Nai City on May 18, 2026. General Secretary and State President To Lam suggested that Dong Nai aim for higher development standards, enabling the city to develop to a higher level and become more civilized, "brighter, greener, cleaner, more beautiful, and more livable". Accordingly, a developed city is measured not only by its economic scale, income, or modern structures but, first and foremost, by the quality of life of its residents.

In line with this orientation, the living environment needs to be regarded as an important component of urban quality. A modern city should have not only high-rise buildings, major roads, or new urban areas but also green spaces, parks, a clean environment, and infrastructure systems that effectively serve people's lives.

Making the city livable

Dong Nai has significant advantages in terms of rivers, lakes, forests, and ecological zones. If properly preserved and utilized, these natural values will create landscapes and become part of the city's identity.

Bien Hung Park, Tran Bien Ward. Photo: Hoang Loc

Dong Nai is also endowed by nature with a rich ecosystem of rivers, lakes, mountains, and forests, including the Dong Nai River, Tri An Lake, Chua Chan Mountain, Cat Tien National Park, Ma Da Forest, and others. These are valuable resources associated with the history, culture, and development of the land.

Notably, at the conference reviewing one year of operation of the overall organizational model of the political system and the two-level local government model, held by the Dong Nai City Party Committee on June 3, 2026, the City Party Committee leadership also called for strengthened management and protection of the Dong Nai River ecological corridor and for measures to address illegal land subdivision and spontaneous construction, as well as small-scale projects affecting the landscape and environment. At the same time, planning for the riverside area must serve community interests and facilitate the development of public spaces and sustainable ecological landscapes.

This is a noteworthy requirement when viewed in conjunction with Resolution No. 16. The resolution identifies the planning and development of the Dong Nai River as a strategic spatial axis, with a central role in ecology, culture, landscape, and urban development.

Thus, the Dong Nai River is not merely a geographical feature but needs to be regarded as part of the city's green space and identity. If well protected, ecological corridors, water surfaces, and riverside spaces will contribute to creating landscapes, regulating the environment, serving the community, and enhancing the city's appeal.

Nguyen Xuan Anh, a resident of Trang Dai Ward, strongly agrees with the orientation of building Dong Nai into a green, smart, and livable city. Anh hopes these orientations will be reflected in every residential area, every street, and every project.

"A new urban area should not only have housing but also be planned in a coordinated manner with schools, parks, trees, transportation, drainage systems, and waste collection and treatment. If these requirements are taken into account from the beginning, the city will avoid many inadequacies as the population grows",  said Anh.

According to lawyer Ngo Van Dinh of the Dong Nai Bar Association, the Law on Urban Development provides an additional legal framework for spatial organization and the mobilization of resources for urban development. However, its ultimate effectiveness depends on the coordinated implementation of plans and projects while ensuring the long-term interests of the community. The Law on Urban Development provides an additional legal framework and Resolution No. 16 sets out the long-term vision, while planning and implementation arrangements will determine the future face of Dong Nai City.

From laws to resolutions, from the direction of leaders to the aspirations of the people, the common thread is that urban development must aim to improve the quality of life. To achieve these goals, the city is taking issues related to the environment, green spaces, landscapes, technical infrastructure, and public spaces into account from the planning and investment stages, rather than waiting until problems arise before addressing them.

By Kim Lieu – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho