Expectations for Dong Nai’s urban transformation

Dong Nai has met all seven key criteria to move toward becoming a centrally governed city, marking a strategic milestone while boosting public confidence.

A view of a residential area in Dau Giay commune, acting as a locality set to be upgraded to ward status. Photo: Nhat Quang

Achievements in infrastructure and socio-economic development, coupled with aspirations to build a modern and civilized urban center, are driving Dong Nai into a new phase of growth.

Steadily advancing toward urban status

To date, Dong Nai has met, and even exceeded, the core criteria, laying a solid foundation for its development goals in the coming period. The required benchmark is at least 2.5 million people, while Dong Nai’s population stands at nearly 4.5 million. This feature highlights the province’s strong appeal to both labor and investment, as well as its development potential. Meanwhile, its natural area of over 12,700 square kilometers far surpasses the minimum requirement, providing ample space for modern, multi-center urban planning.

Expressing interest and appreciation for the province’s achievements, Nguyen Van Hieu, a resident of Tran Bien ward, said he is confident in Dong Nai’s development direction. “With its large population and extensive area, the goal of becoming a centrally governed city is entirely well-founded,” he noted.

Another notable criterion is the urbanization rate. Dong Nai has reached nearly 57%, exceeding the required 45%, reflecting a strong shift from rural to urban areas amid rapid infrastructure and service development. In addition, the proportion of wards among commune-level administrative units has also met requirements, reaching 34.73%, above the minimum threshold of 30%. The province currently has 23 wards and 10 communes that fully meet the conditions for ward establishment. These are fast-growing areas that play an important role in socio-economic development while ensuring national defense and security.

Nguyen Xuan Anh, a resident of Trang Bom commune, said that many localities today, such as Trang Bom, though still classified as communes, already have clear urban characteristics, with infrastructure, population, and economic activities all developing strongly. As a result, meeting this criterion is entirely consistent with reality.

Another important criterion is the locality’s position and role in regional development planning. Dong Nai has been identified as a major industrial and logistics center and a key transport hub in the region, particularly in connection with the development orientation of the Long Thanh Airport urban area. This feature is a standout advantage that enables the province to generate spillover effects and drive growth.

Tran Quang Huy, a resident of Dau Giay commune, emphasized that Dong Nai’s strategic transport location creates a distinct advantage. “With Long Thanh Airport and major transport routes, Dong Nai is clearly in a favorable position to develop into a large urban center,” he said.

At present, the province’s economic structure and level of socio-economic development have recorded positive results. It has achieved budget self-balancing, while the combined share of industry, construction, and services exceeds 81%. In addition, per capita income is higher than the national average, and the poverty rate remains low.

From these results, it is clear that meeting and surpassing the criteria is reflected not only in the numbers, but also in a process of real, comprehensive development. This feature is an important foundation for Dong Nai to confidently enter a new stage of development, aiming to become a centrally governed city with a high quality of life and a high level of happiness on a global scale.

Affirming its development position

Building on these results, Dong Nai is continuing to refine its urban administrative system, including plans to establish wards from 10 communes following administrative restructuring. This undertaking is considered a key step in bringing the province closer to its goal of becoming a centrally governed city.

The establishment of Dong Nai as a centrally governed city would mark a shift from administrative change to a new development model. Nguyen Van Dung, a resident of Tam Hiep ward, described this transition as inevitable in the current context, noting that the province has already met the necessary conditions to develop into a major urban center with a leading regional role.

“This is not merely a change in administrative status but also a transformation in governance and development approaches. It will enable better coordination of infrastructure, resources, and development space. I believe Dong Nai will become a comprehensive and modern urban center in the near future,” Nguyen Van Dung shared.

Confident that Dong Nai will continue to strengthen its development, residents in communes set to be upgraded to wards, including Tan Khai, Loc Ninh, Dong Phu, and Tri An, have expressed hope for positive changes once their administrative units are upgraded. Alongside fulfilling urban criteria, the province should place greater emphasis on the coordinated development of healthcare, education, and culture, factors that directly determine the quality of life in a modern urban area.

In addition to hoping for more central-level hospitals so residents can access high-quality healthcare services locally, as well as major universities that would open up opportunities to improve the quality of human resources, residents also expect the province to soon invest in iconic cultural facilities such as theatres and large-scale cultural centers.

From the criteria already achieved to the expectations ahead, Dong Nai’s journey toward becoming a centrally governed city is receiving strong public support. This confidence serves as both motivation and a crucial foundation for the province to continue advancing, with the ambition of becoming a modern, civilized urban center and a key growth driver in the region.

By K.Lieu - Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho