The milestone marks a historic turning point, opening up a golden opportunity for Dong Nai to restructure its urban space toward a greener, cleaner and more sustainable model while significantly improving residents' quality of life. Creating momentum to develop a modern urban network The upgrade to Class I urban status and Dong Nai's emergence as one of Vietnam's seven cities bring substantial advantages to the locality. Most importantly, the city will enjoy greater autonomy in urban planning and investment. It will have broader authority to formulate and adjust its master plans while attracting larger infrastructure investment from the central government and strategic investors. Located at the gateway to the Southeast region and bordering Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai is home to Long Thanh International Airport, one of Vietnam's most important national infrastructure projects. The upgrade is expected to drive the formation of a modern urban network closely integrated with the Southern Key Economic Region. | The new master plan prioritizes the development of green corridors along the Dong Nai River and eco-friendly riverside urban areas. Photo: Cong Nghia | The city's greatest opportunity lies in developing it into a green and ecological city. Dong Nai retains abundant natural assets, including an extensive river system (Dong Nai, Be and La Nga rivers) along with Tri An Lake, Cat Tien National Park, Chua Chan Mountain and Nui Le Lake. Newly established wards such as Binh Loc, Hang Gon, Dau Giay, Tan Phu, Tan Trieu, Tri An, Loc Ninh and Tan Khai all could evolve into ecological urban areas within a broader eco-city. These natural advantages provide a valuable foundation for developing a city that exists in harmony with nature, rather than allowing nature to be consumed by urbanization. Under the new master plan, Dong Nai will also prioritize the development of