As of April 30, 2026, with 10 local communes officially elevated to wards, Dong Nai has formally become the 7th municipality (under central management) in the country. The people of Dong Nai hold high expectations for a powerful breakthrough and profound changes in the city’s future. In particular, citizens and businesses anticipate that technical infrastructure will be prioritized for rapid, high-quality investment to spark breakthroughs in socio-economic development, thereby improving the material and spiritual lives of the people.

Actual data shows that post-merger, Dong Nai ranks among the top localities nationwide in terms of economic scale, land area, population, and growth rate. Situated as the gateway to the Southern region, Dong Nai borders Ho Chi Minh City—the nation’s most dynamic hub. With its current status, scale, and economic potential, Dong Nai is poised to become a dynamic city and a new growth pole for the entire country.

Experts and businesses suggest that Dong Nai City will create new development momentum not only for the province but also make practical contributions to the Southern region and Vietnam as a whole. Dong Nai will evolve into a major metropolitan area that shares and links functions with Ho Chi Minh City for mutual growth. It has the potential to become a vital growth engine with a spillover effect on the Southeast region and beyond.

With an economic scale ranking 4th nationwide—and consistently leading in state budget revenue, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) attraction, export turnover, and trade surplus—Dong Nai possesses a solid foundation to achieve double-digit annual growth.

As transport infrastructure projects such as the Long Thanh International Airport and interregional expressways are prioritized, Dong Nai is no longer a "satellite" but has become a developmental counterweight. Along with Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho, it forms a solid economic golden triangle in the South.

For residents and enterprises, Dong Nai’s transition to city status must be accompanied by a substantive transformation of its landscape. The public expects an "infrastructure revolution." This entails not just wider roads, but smart transport systems, modern digital infrastructure, and public utilities worthy of a Class-I municipality.

A livable city must provide high-tech healthcare services, international-standard education, and diverse cultural spaces. However, managing such a large-scale city requires a dynamic, streamlined, and efficient urban governance apparatus. Challenges such as environmental pollution, mechanical population pressure, and the disparity in living standards between various wards and communes remain issues that require thorough solutions.

Today, Dong Nai has taken on a new appearance. This transformation for the nation’s greater cause requires the concerted efforts of the entire political system. This involves "daring to think, daring to do," and breaking away from outdated management mindsets to match the stature of a major city.

The birth of Dong Nai City is a symbolic event reflecting the aspirations of its people to soar in a new era. With abundant internal resources, a strategic position, and the unified expectations of its citizens, Dong Nai will not only drive growth for the South but will soon establish its name on the map of the region’s most dynamic urban centers.

By Minh Luan

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/