Strategic driving forces for Dong Nai’s breakthrough

Dong Nai is entering a rare period of accelerated growth as a series of major infrastructure projects are slated for substantial completion by late 2025 and expected to come into operation in 2026. These are not merely transportation projects when they function as “development arteries” that open up new space and create strategic momentum for the province to break through in the near future.

The centerpiece of this transition is Phase 1 of the Long Thanh International Airport project. Preparations for the upcoming technical flight on December 19 are being finalized to the last detail by the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV): the two connecting roads have been completed, Runway No. 1 has been fully equipped, calibration flights have been conducted, and the apron area is ready. The pace of construction, along with the province’s close and proactive direction, indicates that Long Thanh Airport is progressing steadily and staying on schedule, in line with  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s directive: the timeline must not slip, and commercial operations are expected to begin in early 2026.

A high-capacity airport can only fully realize its potential when integrated into a synchronized ecosystem of transportation, urban development, services, and logistics. Accordingly, in parallel with the airport’s progress, key arterial routes such as the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway and Ring Road No. 3 of Ho Chi Minh City are also expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Once these routes are seamlessly connected to Long Thanh Airport, Dong Nai will immediately unlock a “new economic corridor” running through the Southeastern region, serving as a corridor that not only shortens transport times but also transforms the urban, industrial, and service landscape of the entire area.

The directive issued by General Secretary To Lam during his visit to the Long Thanh Airport construction site on November 13, 2025, set out a clear vision: the airport must be developed as the nucleus of a multi-sector ecosystem, ranging from multimodal transportation and airport urban areas to modern logistics, tourism, and service chains. Building on this directive, the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee quickly concretized it into a plan to implement a series of priority tasks: accelerating progress on connecting expressways, advancing the Suoi Tien – Provincial Administrative Center – Long Thanh Airport metro line, and expediting the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau railway and the North–South high-speed railway. These are strategic preparatory steps to ensure that Dong Nai is not merely a province hosting an airport, but emerges as a new growth pole for the entire region.

At the interregional level, Dong Nai has also proactively proposed a route connecting ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) through the Hoa Lu International Border Gate to Long Thanh Airport and major seaports. This initiative represents a critical opening that would position Dong Nai as a strategic transshipment hub within the regional trade network.

It can be said that the infrastructure projects scheduled for completion in 2025–2026 will create a leap in development space for Dong Nai. A fully integrated infrastructure system will provide the foundation for attracting large-scale investment, forming new urban–industrial poles, boosting services and tourism, and, most importantly, redefining Dong Nai’s position on the economic map of southern Vietnam.

The moment of breakthrough is now very close, and Dong Nai is holding in its hands the opportunity to open a new phase of development that is stronger and more substantive than ever.

By Quyen Anh – Translated by Thu Hien, Minho