NA approves resolution establishing Dong Nai City from April 30, 2026

On April 24, as part of the agenda of the first session of the 16th National Assembly (NA), lawmakers officially adopted the resolution on the establishment of Dong Nai City. The resolution received approval from 478 out of 487 deputies present, accounting for 95.6 percent of the vote.

Under the resolution, Dong Nai City is established on the basis of the existing boundaries, population and administrative structure of Dong Nai province, with a natural area of 12,737.18 square kilometers, a population of 4,491,408, and 95 commune-level administrative units.

Following its establishment, Dong Nai City will maintain its natural area and population size, while continuing to comprise 95 commune-level administrative units, including 33 wards and 62 communes.

The establishment of Dong Nai City has been underpinned by important political foundations. 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 for consideration and decision within 2026.

NA deputies vote to approve the resolution on the establishment of Dong Nai city. Photo: Duy Linh

Subsequently, Resolution No. 03-NQ/TW of the 2nd Plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee, dated March 25, 2026, endorsed the policy of establishing Dong Nai city, thereby creating a solid political basis for submission to the first session of the 16th NA.

Leaders of the Party, State, Government and NA congratulate the adoption of the resolution establishing Dong Nai City, which was approved with overwhelming support. Photo: Duy Linh

Delegates attend the morning sitting of the first session of the 16th NA on April 24. Photo: Duy Linh

NA deputies celebrate the adoption of the resolution establishing Dong Nai City with a high consensus rate. Photo: Duy Linh

From a legal perspective, the city’s establishment was carried out in accordance with the 2025 Law on Local Government Organization and Resolution No. 112/2025/UBTVQH15 of the NA Standing Committee, which clearly stipulate the conditions and standards for city establishment.

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

Notably, the Southeast Regional Master Plan to 2030 identifies Dong Nai as a city, positioned as a development engine for the region and closely linked with Ho Chi Minh City in shaping a modern economic-urban space.

At present, Dong Nai has fulfilled all five required conditions and all seven standards for city status under the Law on Local Government Organization and Resolution No. 112/2025/UBTVQH15 on administrative unit criteria.

Throughout the development process of the Southeast region and the country as a whole, Dong Nai has effectively leveraged its potential and advantages in geography, historical tradition, national defense, security, culture and society to emerge as one of Vietnam’s leading localities in economic scale.

The first official flight lands at Long Thanh International Airport on December 19, 2025. Photo: Cong Nghia

As a direct linkage hub connecting the country’s largest economic center, Ho Chi Minh City, with the Central Highlands, the South Central Coast and the Mekong Delta, Dong Nai has increasingly strengthened its role in regional connectivity.

Coupled with steadily modernized socio-economic infrastructure, particularly in transport, industry, services and logistics, as well as the rapidly progressing construction of Long Thanh International Airport, Dong Nai now possesses the defining features of a large-scale urban center with strong development potential, multiple centers, diverse functions and broad spillover effects across southern Vietnam and the nation.

Dai Phuoc Urban Area in Dai Phuoc commune features synchronized and modern infrastructure. Photo: Cong Nghia

The establishment of Dong Nai City is expected to generate new momentum not only for the locality itself, but also for the Southern region and the country at large.

This marks a fundamental transformation in both development and local governance models, paving the way for Dong Nai to become a major urban center capable of sharing functions, strengthening linkages and fostering mutual growth with Ho Chi Minh City.

It is also expected to achieve the goal of becoming an important national growth pole, serving as a regional economic connectivity center and an international gateway, while emerging as a dynamic, modern and civilized development model that helps shape a new spatial development orientation for the entire Southeast region in line with the Politburo’s conclusions.

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