Dong Nai ready for takeoff as a centrally governed city

With its aspirations for strong breakthrough in the new development phase, Dong Nai is facing a historic opportunity to transform itself into a centrally governed city. Supported by a solid economic foundation, a strategic geo-economic position, and a series of large-scale infrastructure projects, the province now possesses all the necessary conditions to elevate its status, affirming its role as a dynamic growth pole and making significant contributions to national development.

Regarding this issue, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee Nguyen Kim Long granted an interview to Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television.

Becoming a major growth pole in the South

Dong Nai is accelerating the implementation of a plan to become a centrally governed city. Could you elaborate on the strategic significance of this goal for the province’s development in the coming period?

Nguyen Kim Long, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee. Photo: Hoang Loc

Transforming Dong Nai into a centrally governed city is not merely an administrative adjustment; rather, it represents a fundamental shift in development model and governance. This is both an objective necessity and an urgent step to transform Dong Nai from a major industrial province to a regional-level urban center capable of leading growth and coordinating regional linkages.

This goal carries strategic significance in three key aspects. First, it concretizes major central policies on developing the national urban system, particularly the formation of strong growth poles in the Southern region. Second, it establishes a modern urban governance model aligned with a large population scale, a multi-centered development space, and a high degree of regional connectivity. Third, it elevates Dong Nai’s role as an international trade gateway and a modern hub for industry, logistics, and services, thereby contributing more substantially to national growth. In essence, this is a strategic step enabling Dong Nai to make a breakthrough and integrate more deeply into regional and global value chains.

Could you further analyze the advantages Dong Nai holds as it approaches this new opportunity?

Dong Nai possesses several important advantages and conditions to become a centrally governed city. Notably, it has a vast development space, spanning over 12,700 sq.km, with a population of nearly 4.5 million, well suited to a multi-centered urban model. In addition, its strategic geo-economic location places it at the heart of the Southeast region, directly connected to Ho Chi Minh City and major economic corridors.

Moreover, the province boasts a large economic scale and a solid foundation. In 2025, its GRDP reached VND678 trillion, ranking among the country’s leading localities, with per capita GRDP nearing VND153 million. Its economic structure has shifted strongly toward modern industry and services. Budget revenue in the same year approached VND103 trillion, while its strong fiscal self-balancing capacity provides ample room for proactive investment in development.

Long Thanh International Airport and the expressway network that is nearing completion are often cited as key drivers. In your view, how will these projects create breakthroughs for Dong Nai’s growth?

Long Thanh International Airport, planned on a scale of approximately 5,000 hectares with a total investment of the highest international standards (level 4F), is designed to handle up to 100 million passengers and 5 million tons of cargo annually upon full completion. It is expected to become one of the largest aviation transit hubs in the Asia-Pacific region, marking a turning point in international connectivity, logistics capacity, and investment attraction for Dong Nai.

In parallel, the province’s strategic transport infrastructure is being developed in a synchronized and modern manner. A network of expressways and ring roads spanning hundreds of kilometers is gradually taking shape, linking Dong Nai with major economic centers, international seaports, and key national growth regions.

Key routes include Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay, Phan Thiet – Dau Giay, Bien Hoa – Vung Tau, Ben Luc – Long Thanh, Gia Nghia – Chon Thanh, and Dau Giay – Lien Khuong, along with Ring Roads 3 and 4, are gradually forming an interregional high-speed transport network.

Against this backdrop, Dong Nai is well positioned to become a strategic gateway city and a multi-functional growth pole, serving as a central hub connecting Southern economic regions in aviation, high-tech industry, logistics, cross-border trade, high-tech agriculture, and innovation.

Focusing on six key solutions

To match the stature of a centrally governed city, Dong Nai will require breakthrough solutions. What are the province’s priorities?

Dong Nai has identified several key solutions:

First, it will develop a new growth model driven by science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, with enterprises at the center and data as a strategic resource. Priority will be given to spearhead sectors with international competitiveness, including aviation economy, logistics, high-tech industry, digital technology industry, and modern financial and commercial services. At the same time, high-tech agriculture, biotechnology, and digitalization of value chains will be strongly promoted to enhance added value of farm produce.

Tran Bien ward seen from above.

Second, the province will focus on building synchronized and modern strategic infrastructure with high connectivity, serving as the backbone for organizing development space. Priority will be given to transport, logistics, and urban technical infrastructure, ensuring effective connections with Ho Chi Minh City, the Southeast region, the South Central Coast, the Central Highlands, and international markets.

Third, Dong Nai will focus on developing an aviation ecosystem and the Long Thanh Airport City model, closely integrated with logistics, trade, finance, and international service centers. Step by step, this vision aims to shape a regionally and globally competitive “airport city.”

Long Thanh International Airport will be positioned as the country’s primary international aviation gateway and a major transit hub, serving as a strategic node in regional and global supply chains within a synchronized aviation ecosystem. At the same time, a modern and integrated aviation services ecosystem will be developed, featuring multimodal connectivity and high-value services centered around the airport.

In parallel, planning and infrastructure development in the Long Thanh – Nhon Trach urban area will be accelerated to accommodate a population of at least 2.5 million, laying the groundwork for an international transit-oriented airport city.

Fourth, Dong Nai will organize its development space under a multi-centered and multi-polar growth model, while promoting strategic economic corridors and strengthening connectivity with Ho Chi Minh City, the Southeast region, the Central Highlands, the South Central Coast, and international markets.

In this context, the province will be planned along the Southeast axis as a strategic transit hub, linking the marine economy, aviation economy, border economy, and the domestic economy, thereby serving as a coordinating space for regional economic flows.

At the same time, a flexible spatial development approach will be adopted, based on a multi-centered, multi-polar structure and built upon existing core corridors, while gradually expanding into new strategic development corridors.

Fifth, the province will develop breakthrough and distinctive policy mechanisms across finance, budget, investment management, land, construction, planning, urban development, and environment. Meanwhile, it will attract strategic investors, promote science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, and draw high-quality human resources. Plans also include establishing economic zones, free trade zones, digital technology parks, innovation hubs, and higher education centers to match Dong Nai’s role as a key national growth pole.

Finally, Dong Nai will pursue modern, green, smart and multi-objective  urban development aligned with transit-oriented development (TOD). This approach emphasizes synchronized technical and social infrastructure between urban areas both within and beyond the locality, human-centered development, improved quality of life, balanced socio-cultural progress, and strengthened national defense, security, and international integration.

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