Dong Nai becomes the country’s 7th city

On April 24, during the working program of the first session of the 16th National Assembly (NA), lawmakers officially passed a resolution establishing Dong Nai city. With this decision, Dong Nai has become the seventh city in Vietnam.

Historic milestones

On March 24, 2026, during the second working day of the 2nd Plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee, the committee deliberated on the proposal to establish Dong Nai city.

On April 24, 2026, the 16th NA voted to adopt the resolution on the establishment of Dong Nai city during its first session. Photo: Pham Tung

On March 25, 2026, in the official announcement of the 2nd Plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee, the Party Central Committee approved in principle the establishment of Dong Nai city. The committee assigned the Politburo to direct the Government Party Committee to finalize the project dossier in accordance with regulations for submission to the first session of the 16th NA for consideration and decision.

With a natural area of more than 12,700 square kilometers and a population of nearly 4.5 million, Dong Nai is among the five most populous localities in the country and has fully met the conditions required to become a city.

Bien Hoa II Industrial Park (IP) is one of the earliest IPs established during Vietnam’s period of opening up to foreign investment. Despite more than 30 years of operation, it remains one of Dong Nai’s most modern and high-quality IPs. Photo: Phan Duong

Dong Nai is the locality with the largest number of expressways in the country, accounting for 10 out of 86 national expressway routes. This provides favorable conditions for the province to accelerate economic growth in the coming years. Photo: Phan Duong

Nhon Trach ward is oriented toward becoming an airport satellite urban area and an important development driver for the Southeast region. Photo: Pham Tung

The province’s seaport and inland port systems form a key foundation for Dong Nai to become a national and international logistics hub. Photo: Phan Duong

A corner of Tran Bien ward, one of Dong Nai’s central wards. Photo: Phan Duong

On March 28, 2026, at the first session of the 11th Dong Nai Provincial People’s Council for the 2026–2031 term, delegates voted to approve a resolution supporting the establishment of Dong Nai city.

Subsequently, on April 6, 2026, the Government issued Resolution No. 95/NQ-CP approving the project dossier for the establishment of 10 wards in Dong Nai province and the formation of Dong Nai City.

On April 14, 2026, the NA Standing Committee approved the draft resolution establishing 10 wards, namely Trang Bom, Long Thanh, Tri An, Nhon Trach, Tan Khai, Xuan Loc, Tan Phu, Loc Ninh, Dau Giay and Dong Phu in Dong Nai province. It also agreed to submit the proposal for establishing Dong Nai city to the NA.

On April 16, 2026, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh signed the decision recognizing Dong Nai as meeting the criteria of a Grade I urban area.

Later, on April 20, 2026, during the first session of the 16th NA, the Government submitted its proposal and appraisal report on the establishment of Dong Nai city. Authorized by the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs Do Thanh Binh presented the official proposal to lawmakers.

According to the Government’s submission, the establishment of Dong Nai City had a solid political foundation. Specifically, under Document No. 1184-CV/VPTW dated March 23, 2026, the Politburo approved the policy and assigned relevant agencies to urgently complete the dossier for submission to the Party Central Committee and the NA within 2026.

“The ultimate goal Dong Nai is pursuing is to build a civilized, modern and happy city, where economic growth goes hand in hand with cultural development, improved quality of life, and better material and spiritual well-being for the people. Ultimately, every policy, every plan, every project and every reform must serve the people,” said Nguyen Kim Long, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee.

In addition, Resolution No. 03-NQ/TW of the 2nd Plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee, issued on March 25, 2026, officially endorsed the establishment of Dong Nai city, creating a strong political basis for parliamentary approval.

From a legal perspective, the city’s establishment was carried out in accordance with the 2025 Law on Local Government Organization and Resolution 112/2025/UBTVQH15 of the National Assembly Standing Committee, which clearly stipulate the conditions and criteria for city establishment.

Notably, the Southeast Regional Master Plan to 2030 identifies Dong Nai as a city and a major development engine for the region, closely linked with Ho Chi Minh City in shaping a modern economic-urban space. Dong Nai has also fulfilled all five required conditions and all seven criteria for city status.

On April 24, 2026, the final working day of the first session of the 16th NA, deputies officially approved the resolution on establishing Dong Nai city.

Dong Nai City, a new growth pole and strategic connectivity hub for the Southeast region and the nation

Dong Nai’s elevation to city status represents both a legitimate aspiration for development and a responsibility for the Party Committee, government and people of the locality in response to new development demands.

Long Thanh International Airport, expected to begin commercial operations in late 2026, is set to create a historic boost for Dong Nai’s accelerated development. Photo: Pham Tung

Phuoc An Port, Dong Nai’s largest seaport, serves as a major logistics center for the region.

According to Nguyen Huu Quyen, a resident of An Hoa neighborhood in Bien Hoa ward, after nearly 30 years of living in the Bien Hoa–Dong Nai area, he holds strong expectations for the province’s transformation as a city. He especially looks forward to comprehensive local development in its new role and status, beginning with strong and sustainable economic growth.

With its particularly strategic location at the heart of the Southeast region, Dong Nai is directly connected to Ho Chi Minh City while also enjoying convenient access to the Central Highlands, the South Central Coast and international trade gateways. Building on this position, the locality possesses major development drivers such as Long Thanh International Airport, expressways, ring roads, logistics systems, ports, railways and a large-scale, highly competitive industrial base.

Dong Nai is not only positioned for rapid development in its own right, but is also capable of becoming an important growth pole with strong spillover effects across the Southeast region and the country as a whole.

With synchronized infrastructure encompassing all five modes of transport, Dong Nai is set to become a strategic connectivity hub for the Southeast region and the nation. Photo: Pham Tung

According to Nguyen Kim Long, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, Dong Nai will not develop as an ordinary urban administrative unit, but rather as a new growth pole and a strategic connectivity center for both the Southeast region and the country.

In this vision, the “airport city” model will serve as a key pillar, creating distinctive strengths and long-term competitive advantages for Dong Nai in regional connectivity, national linkages and international integration.

Alongside this, the city will shift decisively toward a new growth model in which science and technology, innovation and digital transformation serve as primary drivers; data becomes a new development resource; enterprises are placed at the center of innovation; and people remain both the focus of public service and the direct beneficiaries of all development outcomes.

The next-generation Bau Can – Tan Hiep IP developed by KN Holdings is being rapidly developed near Long Thanh International Airport. Photo: Cong Nghia

By P. Tung, Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha