PM Phạm Minh Chính Urges Accelerated Implementation of Key National Railway Projects
Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Tuesday stressed the need to concentrate leadership, manpower and resources on key national railway projects to ensure their early operation, contributing to socio-economic development and improved living standards.
Chairing the fifth meeting of the steering committee for key national railway projects, connected online with 18 provinces and cities along planned railway routes, Chính—who also heads the committee—said that positive progress has been recorded following four previous meetings. However, he noted that significant challenges remain, with many tasks required to be carried out simultaneously under tight timelines.
The Prime Minister highlighted the completion of the feasibility study for the North–South high-speed railway within 12 months as a particularly demanding task, underscoring the need for urgent and scientific preparations to enable groundbreaking in December 2026. He also pointed to overlapping and insufficient coordination in some areas, calling for stronger information sharing and more proactive, root-level problem-solving.
Chính instructed the Ministry of Construction to coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and relevant agencies to review Việtnam’s technical standards, international best practices and domestic conditions to select the most suitable technology for the project. The ministry was also tasked with developing transparent and scientific criteria and procedures for selecting the investment model, safeguarding national interests and preventing corruption and negative practices, and submitting them to the Cabinet before Saturday.
In addition, the Ministry of Construction was assigned to work with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice to clarify the legal basis and competencies related to the proposal and report to the Prime Minister before January 15.
Describing the coming period as critical and decisive, marking the transition from preparation to large-scale implementation, the Prime Minister called on the entire political system—particularly the steering committee, ministries, sectors and localities—to strictly uphold the principles of clear responsibilities, tasks, timelines, accountability, outputs and authority.
He emphasized that project implementation must adhere to the principle of “three benefits and two no’s,” ensuring benefits for the State, the people and businesses, while preventing corruption, negative phenomena, wastefulness and losses of public assets and resources.
Regarding the Lào Cai–Hà Nội–Hải Phòng railway project, Chính assigned the Ministry of Construction to complete the feasibility study by March, approve the project in July, and commence construction of main components from December 2026. The Ministry of Finance was tasked, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Construction, with accelerating negotiations and the signing of loan agreements, as well as an agreement on constructing a cross-border railway bridge between Việtnam and China in the first quarter of 2026.
Localities and Việtnam Electricity (EVN) were urged to speed up compensation, support, resettlement and the relocation of power-related technical infrastructure. The Ministry of Construction was also requested to work with the Ministry of Education and Training and Việtnam Railways to effectively implement the railway human resources training and development scheme through 2035, with a vision to 2045, ensuring a clear roadmap and timely availability of qualified personnel, particularly for the Lào Cai–Hà Nội–Hải Phòng route.
The Prime Minister further stressed the need to prioritize the implementation of the metro line linking Long Thành International Airport in Đồng Nai province with Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as the Văn Cao–Hòa Lạc metro line in Hànội.
