From a war zone to a leading growth pole
Dong Nai is a prime example of the remarkable transformation of a land that once endured much sacrifice and loss. From the former Zone D of the War Zone – a place that marked the arduous yet heroic years of the Eastern region – Dong Nai today has risen to become one of the leading industrial centers, an important growth pole with a significant ripple effect on the Southeast region and the national economy .
With 86 planned industrial parks, 43 of which are operational, Dong Nai strongly attracts domestic and foreign investment. According to statistics for 2025, Dong Nai's GRDP is projected to reach over 677.9 trillion VND, ranking among the top in the country; GRDP per capita is expected to reach nearly 153 million VND; and the GRDP growth rate is projected at 9.63%, exceeding the government's target. Notably, Dong Nai is also one of the localities making a significant contribution to the national budget. In 2025, despite a target of 70 trillion VND, the province collected nearly 103 trillion VND. Dong Nai is also among the localities making a substantial contribution to the national GDP growth, with a contribution rate of approximately 5.49%.
With a population of nearly 4.5 million, ranking among the most populous provinces and cities in the country, Dong Nai possesses a large and dynamic labor market, and is also an important endogenous resource for developing a knowledge-based economy in the new era. These figures not only reflect the scale of development but, more importantly, affirm a reality: Dong Nai has all the conditions to become a key growth pole of the nation.
New development space - opportunities, drivers, and challenges.
The central government's decision to upgrade Dong Nai to a city is a strategic step, reflecting a long-term vision in the organization of national development space. This is not simply an administrative upgrade, but a repositioning of Dong Nai's role – from a rapidly developing locality to a leading engine responsible for guiding, regulating, and spreading development.
Speaking at the first session of the 16th National Assembly on the morning of April 20th, Comrade Vu Hong Van, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Dong Nai Province (now Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Secretary of the City Party Committee, and Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Dong Nai City), emphasized: This is a strategic decision of the Central Committee; and affirmed that Dong Nai will be a growth pole, shouldering the responsibility of contributing to the state budget.
Becoming a city, Dong Nai will enter a completely new development space. First and foremost is the institutional space. With its new status, Dong Nai will have the opportunity to access and apply specific, more flexible mechanisms and policies in management and development. This is a decisive factor in the context of increasingly fierce competition to attract investment among localities and countries. A dynamic, transparent, and effective institutional model will be the "soft leverage" that helps Dong Nai break through in the new phase.
In terms of economic space, with a GRDP of nearly 700 trillion VND and a high growth rate, Dong Nai has sufficient foundation to shift from processing industries to high-tech industries, from attracting investment extensively to choosing investment intensively. In particular, with the formation and development of Long Thanh International Airport, Dong Nai has the opportunity to become an international logistics and service center, directly connecting with global value chains.
Regarding urban and social aspects, becoming a city is not just about expanding urban scale, but more importantly, about improving the quality of life for its residents with integrated transportation infrastructure, a green living environment, modern public services, high-quality education, and healthcare. All these factors will determine the attractiveness and sustainability of a city in the long term. More profoundly, this is an opportunity for Dong Nai to build a "livable" urban model, where economic development goes hand in hand with social progress and equity.
However, along with the opportunities come significant challenges. First and foremost is the pressure on urban governance. With a large population and rapid urbanization, without a modern, efficient, and transparent governance model, Dong Nai will face complex problems such as traffic congestion, overloaded infrastructure, environmental pollution, and increasing social inequality.
There is also the challenge of meeting the quality requirements for growth. With traditional advantages like cheap labor and land gradually shrinking, Dong Nai is forced to shift to a growth model based on productivity, innovation, and technology. This requires significant investment in education, training high-quality human resources, and building an innovation ecosystem.
Along with that comes the challenge of balancing development. How to harmonize industrialization and environmental protection, economic growth and social welfare, urbanization and the preservation of cultural identity? These are not easy questions to answer. If not properly addressed, these conflicts could become obstacles to sustainable development.
Therefore, the requirement for Dong Nai in the coming period is not only to develop faster, but more importantly, to develop better, that is, to develop with quality, depth, and resilience to fluctuations. This is also the overarching spirit in the Party's documents on national development in the new period: prioritizing quality, efficiency, and sustainability.
Dong Nai's aspirations in the new era
From a resilient war zone amidst the bombs, bullets, and smoke of war, Dong Nai City today stands before a historic opportunity to transform itself into a national urban center. This aspiration is reflected not only in growth figures but also in a long-term vision: to become a leading growth pole by 2030 and to make a significant contribution to Vietnam's goal of becoming a developed, high-income country by 2045.
Ultimately, this aspiration is not just the aspiration of one locality, but a part of the shared aspiration of the entire nation – the aspiration to build a strong, prosperous Vietnam, standing shoulder to shoulder with the great powers. And in that journey, localities like Dong Nai, with their position, potential, and responsibilities, will play a particularly important role. As Central Committee member, Secretary of the City Party Committee, and Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Dong Nai City, Vu Hong Van, once affirmed: Dong Nai will be the leading group to shoulder the mission of national development. This is not only a political commitment but also a call to action for the entire political system and people of Dong Nai.
Throughout history, every major milestone has opened up a new opportunity for development. For Dong Nai, April 30, 2026, is not just an administrative milestone but the starting point of a new journey – a journey of reaching new heights, a journey of affirming its leading role in development. Today, Dong Nai is writing a new chapter in history, not only through growth figures but also through the quality of life of its people, the competitiveness of its economy, and its ever-increasing contributions to the overall development of the country. This is the central meaning of "reaching new heights as a city," not in the name itself, but in its scale of development and national responsibility.
Source: https://dongnai.gov.vn/vi/news/van-hoa-dong-nai/dau-moc-30-4-lich-su-61270.html
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