Bien Hoa, city in Vietnam, on the Dong Nai River, near Ho Chi Minh City. The city is on a main railroad; manufactures include rubber and timber products, tiles, and pottery. The military airfield at Bien Hoa was the site of the initial buildup of United States air power following the Tonkin Gulf incident of 1964. During the Vietnam War (1959-1975), Bien Hoa was headquarters for the surrounding military region. Population (1989) 273,953.