The Lao Cai – Hanoi – Haiphong cross-border railway project linking with Kunming (China), is scheduled to start in 2025.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and CRCC Chairman Dai Hegen. Photo: Nhat Bac/VGP

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed this view during a meeting with Chairman of the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) Dai Hegen on November 6.

According to the national railway network plan, the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line will stretch approximately 380 km, double-tracked and with a track gauge of 1,435 mm. This line will run to Kunming in Yunnan Province, China. The Ministry of Transport is currently preparing the pre-feasibility report for the project, which has an estimated total investment of $11 billion.

At the meeting, the Vietnamese Government leader noted the project will serve as a vital railway link between Vietnam and China, advancing the Belt and Road Initiative.

“This project will also provide Yunnan with faster access to the sea while supporting socio-economic development and poverty alleviation in Vietnam’s northern border provinces,” Chinh added.

CRCC Chairman Dai Hegen stated that the corporation is working with its Vietnamese partner to complete the project's pre-feasibility report.

He said that CRCC was ready for the project and hoped the Vietnamese side could expedite the procedural timeline.

In this regard, the Chinese government is providing support in feasibility studies and has assigned specific tasks to the CRCC to accelerate the project, with a target to commence construction in December 2025.

In addition to the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Haiphong line, Chinh suggested CRCC explore involvement in other major infrastructure projects in Vietnam, such as the Hanoi - Lang Son railway, the Mong Cai - Ha Long - Haiphong railway, the North-South high-speed railway, and expressway projects linking border provinces with China.

He emphasized the principle of "say  it and do  it, honor  commitments." He also requested that China provide support in the form of concessional loans, technology transfer, management capacity building, and workforce training to enhance Vietnam’s railway industry capabilities.

CRCC is a state-owned enterprise under the supervision of China’s State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. The company has constructed 20,000 km of railways and 8,000 km of expressways within China.

On the same day, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Chairman of Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center (KIFA) Cao Ronggen. Cao, who has visited Vietnam twice, highlighted the substantial development potential in Vietnam’s modern floriculture sector. He proposed a partnership with Vietnamese localities and enterprises to develop flower varieties, cultivation, and an international flower trading platform to create a global supply chain.

The Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for KIFA’s interest in investing in Vietnam’s high-tech agricultural sector, especially flowers and ornamental plants. "These are areas where Vietnam actively encourages and seeks investment," he noted, advising KIFA to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and local authorities for concrete project proposals and support programs.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is currently visiting China to attend the Greater Mekong Subregion Cooperation Summit, several high-level meetings, and other official activities in China from November 5 to 8 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.