Dong Nai’s external affairs: Contributing to stronger international integration

Amid increasingly deep globalization and international integration, Dong Nai has identified external affairs as a key and regular task closely linked to socio-economic development and the safeguarding of national defense and security.

Deputy Secretary of the Dong Nai Party Committee (PPC) and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Ut (right) receives Nghiem Gioi Hoa, founder of Pacific Construction Group and Atlantic Construction Group, and President of Trang Nghiem Research Institute. Photo: Collaborator

With a proactive, flexible and methodical approach, Dong Nai’s external affairs activities are gradually expanding development space, effectively connecting international resources, enhancing the province’s standing and laying a solid foundation for green, rapid and sustainable growth in the new period.

People-to-people diplomacy – humanistic foundation of integration

In recent years, Dong Nai Provincial Party Standing Committee has consistently identified external affairs as a key and regular mission, carried out under unified, flexible and proactive leadership. In the country’s new development phase, external affairs serve not only as a tool to implement the foreign policy of independence and self-reliance but also as a means to demonstrate the province’s capacity, intellect and stature in integration.

Speaking at the conference reviewing the implementation of the National Program on strengthening cooperation and mobilizing foreign non-governmental aid for the 2019–2025 period in Dong Nai, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang emphasized that external affairs must go one step ahead, helping create a stable and safe environment while maximizing international resources to directly serve the province’s goal of rapid and sustainable development. This viewpoint reflects a clear shift in terms of mindset from “supportive external affairs” to “development-facilitating external affairs,” placing foreign relations at the center of the development strategy.

Deputy Secretary of the PPC Vo Tan Duc presents certificates of merit from the Provincial People’s Committee to enterprises and foreign non-governmental organizations for their significant contributions to Dong Nai during 2019–2025 period.

As one of the country’s major industrial centers, Dong Nai views international integration as a driving force to improve governance standards and enhance growth quality. External affairs activities are being implemented comprehensively across fields such as economy, investment, science and technology, education and training, culture, environment, and national defense and security, closely aligned with green transition, digital transformation and economic restructuring.

According to Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Kim Long, Dong Nai does not attract investment at all costs but prioritizes high-tech, environmentally friendly projects that participate deeply in global value chains. “We always accompany enterprises, considering investors’ success as the locality’s success,” he affirmed.

Cooperation with foreign non-governmental organizations (2019–2025 period)

• Dong Nai cooperated with 264 foreign non-governmental organizations and donors, implementing 277 programs and projects in areas such as social welfare, healthcare, education, environment, clean water and community support.

• The total committed aid value reached nearly 26.2 million USD (equivalent to over VND 670 billion).

• Disbursed value exceeded 10.6 million USD.

Such consistency in thinking and action has built strong trust among the international business community.

Shon Pan Kyu, Deputy General Director of HS Hyosung Vietnam Co., Ltd., the largest foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprise in Dong Nai, noted that a stable investment environment, timely support from authorities and an open, substantive approach are key reasons why enterprises feel secure in long-term commitment and continued expansion.

Alongside economic diplomacy, people-to-people diplomacy is regarded as a soft yet sustainable pillar, helping spread the image of a friendly, compassionate and socially responsible locality. Through enhanced connections with international organizations, foreign non-governmental organizations, associations and the FDI business community, Dong Nai has effectively mobilized international resources for social welfare programs.

Projects in healthcare, education, support for vulnerable groups and environmental improvement have not only brought practical benefits to residents but also created reliable bridges between Dong Nai and international partners.

Bells Borja, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Vietnam, commented: “What impresses us is not only the project effectiveness but also the responsible cooperation spirit, transparency and companionship of local authorities.”

At the same time, the sense of social responsibility among FDI enterprises has increasingly spread. Many enterprises not only invest in production and business but also actively participate in community activities, strengthening the friendship between the people of Dong Nai and those of other countries. For example, Nestle Vietnam has chosen to maintain a long-term presence in Vietnam, including Dong Nai province. With several factories in Dong Nai, Nestle not only provides stable employment for thousands of workers and contributes regularly to the state budget but also promotes sustainable values through coffee development programs, farmer support, regenerative agriculture and environmental protection initiatives.

To date, Dong Nai has signed 88 memoranda of understanding and provincial-level international cooperation agreements with 17 countries and territories; 27 of these remain valid, including partnerships with developed nations such as the United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan.

Regarding future cooperation orientations, Khuat Quang Hung, Deputy General Director in charge of External Affairs and Communications at Nestle Vietnam, stressed that Dong Nai offers a stable investment environment and supportive authorities who listen to enterprises. This forms an important foundation for Nestle to continue expanding investment, creating more jobs and contributing further to the community and sustainable local development. In practice, more enterprises now regard corporate social responsibility not as an accompanying task but as a core value in their long-term development strategies. In partnership with Dong Nai authorities, enterprises have proactively implemented practical community programs, ranging from financial education and technological support to clean water and medical equipment provision, thereby improving living standards for residents and workers.

Nguyen Hong Hai, Chairman of the Charity Association of the Dong Nai factory of Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage Co., Ltd., stated: “When investing in Dong Nai, we always define enterprise development as closely linked to social responsibility and local development. Through community activities, we aim to build sustainable relationships and work with authorities and residents to better support education, healthcare and the environment, thereby spreading positive and long-lasting values.” In the coming time, the enterprise will continue focusing on water resource protection, waste treatment and environmental awareness education for younger generations, contributing to Dong Nai’s harmonious, sustainable and deeply integrated development.

Diplomatic bridge in new development space

Following administrative merger and expansion, Dong Nai has entered a new development phase with strategic advantages, including a large area, significant population, extensive industrial zones, a border with the Kingdom of Cambodia and key national infrastructure projects. The expanded development space also requires external affairs work to be more professional, proactive and in-depth. In this context, the Dong Nai Department of Foreign Affairs (DoFA) plays an important bridging role between the locality and diplomatic agencies, international organizations and foreign enterprises.

Director of the DoFA Huynh Thi Be Nam said the sector is focusing on strategic advisory work, supporting enterprises’ participation in global value chains, promoting economic and cultural diplomacy, and applying digital transformation in the management and exchange of foreign affairs information.

Tran Thuy Tien, Vice President of the Dong Nai Union of Friendship Organizations, receives a commitment of sponsorship for 100 friendship houses worth 7 billion VND from Latter-day Saint Charities of the United States.

Consuls General and foreign diplomatic representatives in Vietnam, during their working visits to Dong Nai, have highly appreciated the province’s potential, cooperative environment and open spirit.

Ono Masuo, Consul General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City, remarked that Dong Nai is not only an attractive investment destination but also a place where humanistic values converge, forming a solid foundation for long-term cooperation. In a world of uncertainties, external affairs increasingly demonstrate a pioneering role in safeguarding the Fatherland from early and afar, creating a peaceful and stable environment for development while expanding development space and tapping new drivers from international integration.

Dong Nai is one of the localities that has implemented people-to-people diplomacy and mobilized foreign non-governmental aid in a systematic, effective and in-depth manner. The province has not only proactively expanded relations and mobilized international resources but also closely linked programs and projects with practical local needs, particularly in social welfare, healthcare, education and environmental protection. These results have helped enhance Dong Nai’s position and prestige in international cooperation and laid an important foundation for sustainable development in the coming period.

Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and Vice Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Non-Governmental Organization Affairs

For Dong Nai, external affairs go beyond working trips, memoranda or signed figures. The deeper value lies in the trust built, the opportunities opened and the people placed at the center of development. That is the “soft runway” for Dong Nai to take off in a new era — as a green, prosperous and civilized locality deeply integrated with the world.

By Hien Vuong – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha