Dong Nai aims to become a globally connected city

At present, Dong Nai has met the key criteria required to become a centrally governed city, having fulfilled and exceeded 13 out of 15 benchmarks. This achievement marks not only an administrative milestone but also reflects decades of steady and in-depth development. From a key industrial province of Vietnam, Dong Nai has fully met the necessary conditions in terms of population scale, urbanization rate, socio-technical infrastructure and regional connectivity to move into a new phase of development with greater stature and responsibility.

Looking back on more than 40 years of renewal process, Dong Nai has transformed itself from an underdeveloped agricultural locality into one of the country’s top four provinces and cities in terms of economic scale. Its GRDP has reached nearly VND678 trillion, with per capita GRDP approaching VND153 million, contributing around 5% of the national GDP. Over the years, the province has always maintained solid growth, while its economic structure has shifted in the right direction, with industry-construction and trade-services playing a leading role.

Dong Nai is also among the earliest localities to develop a well-synchronized industrial park system. To date, nearly 60 industrial parks and economic zones have been established, making it an attractive destination for both domestic and foreign investors. Beyond industry, other sectors such as real estate, trade, services, logistics, tourism and agriculture… have drawn large-scale investment projects. Notably, the quality of capital inflows has improved steadily, with the majority directed toward high-tech, environmentally friendly and higher value-added projects.

Meanwhile, transport infrastructure, a decisive factor for development capacity, is being strongly accelerated. Positioned as an international connectivity gateway, Dong Nai connects the Southeast region, the Mekong Delta, the Central Highlands and the central region. Its transport system is relatively comprehensive, encompassing all modes of transport, including  road, air, rail, maritime and inland waterway. A wide range of major projects such as Long Thanh International Airport, the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressway, Dau Giay – Phan Thiet expressway, Ben Luc – Long Thanh expressway, Bien Hoa – Vung Tau expressway, ring roads and inland container depots are gradually forming an integrated transport network. This, in turn, is creating strong momentum for the development of industry, construction, services, logistics and urban areas — an advantage not widely shared by other localities.

In addition, the province has continued to invest in and upgrade its education, healthcare, and socio-cultural systems, better meeting the needs of residents.

The establishment of Dong Nai as a centrally governed city would concretize the Central policy and orientations on national planning and development as well as national development planning, while meeting the growth demands of the southern region in the new phase. It also reflects the aspiration of the Party Committee, authorities and people of Dong Nai to rise as a regional-level urban center capable of coordinating development space, linking infrastructure, allocating resources and driving growth across the wider area.

It can be said that meeting the required criteria is an important stepping stone; however, the journey ahead will be the true measure of success. To reach its goal, Dong Nai must continue improving governance efficiency, accelerating key infrastructure projects and prioritizing the development of high-quality human resources. More importantly, policies should remain people-centered, with quality of life placed at the heart of development process. The ultimate goal is to transform Dong Nai into a globally connected city with a high standard of living and well-being.

By Khanh Minh – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha