Dong Nai to become centrally administered city signals pivotal changes in economy, infrastructure, and living standards

The central government’s approval to establish Dong Nai as a centrally administered city is a milestone for the province’s development, with expected changes across three areas: economic structure, space and infrastructure development, and residents’ quality of life.

Dong Nai’s development base

Dong Nai has developed rapidly, building a multi-centered economic-urban space linked with development corridors and major economic centers. The province has a population of about 4.5 million. In 2025, its GRDP reached nearly 678,000 billion VND, contributing roughly 5% of national GDP. Government revenue in 2025 was about 103,000 billion VND, ranking fourth nationwide. GRDP per capita stood at 150.86 million VND per person, ranking fourth after Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Hai Phong.

Dong Nai is also described as having a large-scale economy and high industrialization, with the combined share of industry, construction, and services exceeding 80%. The province has an integrated development space supported by five interconnected transport infrastructure systems linking waterways, roads, and air. The scale and quality of development are presented as reflecting internal capacity and positioning Dong Nai as an economy with the stature of a national-level economic center influencing the southern region and beyond.

Central approval and expected institutional impact

According to the Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee, the central government’s approval is of special strategic importance for the province and the southern economic region. The move is described as recognition of Dong Nai’s achievements and an affirmation of its growing role in national development.

The approval is expected to create a new institutional framework that allows Dong Nai to maximize its potential, attract high-quality resources, and accelerate fast and sustainable development.

Three transformational changes after becoming a centrally administered city

1) Economic structure shift

After becoming a centrally administered city, Dong Nai is expected to shift from a growth model focused mainly on processing and assembly toward one rooted in science, technology, innovation, and the digital economy. Growth is expected to be driven by high-value sectors including aviation, high-tech manufacturing, logistics, and high-quality services.

The province also plans to advance green growth, a circular economy, and the digital economy to support long-term, sustainable expansion.

2) Spatial planning and infrastructure upgrades

In spatial planning and infrastructure, Dong Nai is expected to develop a new urban structure with multi-center, multi-polar growth, connected to modern, synchronized, and internationally integrated infrastructure. Development is expected to prioritize river systems and natural ecosystems as a main landscape axis, while emphasizing smart transport and smart, eco-friendly urbanism.

The province is also expected to focus on building a modern, intelligent, and integrated infrastructure system to expand development space, including economic corridors and industrial belts, and urban systems aligned with regional, cross-regional, and international transport axes.

In particular, the formation of the Long Thanh airport city and an aviation-logistics-service ecosystem is expected to create a new growth axis, strengthening Dong Nai’s role as a key connectivity hub regionally and internationally.

3) Improvements in residents’ quality of life

Dong Nai’s economic and social landscape is also expected to change in terms of residents’ quality of life. The stated goal is not only growth, but building a livable, civilized, modern, and happy city.

The guiding principle is described as putting people at the center, ensuring health and well-being, and investing in education, healthcare, and social infrastructure. Green, smart urban spaces connected to rivers and ecology are expected to raise living standards. Local authorities also aim to create a strong environment for living and working to attract high-quality human resources and achieve balanced development.

Regional implications for the southern economic region

For the southern economic region, establishing Dong Nai as a centrally administered city is expected to help complete a multi-polar development structure, strengthen regional linkages, and improve growth coordination. Dong Nai, alongside Ho Chi Minh City, is expected to form a new growth axis with complementary functions and broader regional influence.

The move is also expected to reduce pressures on central urban areas and support cross-regional corridors linking the Central Highlands, the South-Central Coastal region, and the Mekong Delta, contributing to balanced and sustainable growth across the southern region.

Outlook

The Chairman added that while traditional growth drivers are undergoing transformation, Dong Nai has a strong foundation and room to surge, with readiness to operate effectively under a city governance model and pursue new development heights in the coming period.