As Vietnam accelerates infrastructure investment, the challenge is no longer what to build, but where each project fits within the country's broader development strategy.
Having spent nearly 25 years working in Vietnam's transport, civil aviation and logistics sectors, I found myself reflecting on remarks made recently by General Secretary and President To Lam at the national conference on implementing Resolution No. 10 on foreign-invested economic development.
He cautioned that Vietnam "cannot allow every locality to pursue the same type of project, with each wanting its own seaport, airport, data center or high-tech park without considering planning, available resources, infrastructure and comparative advantages."
To me, this observation goes far beyond infrastructure planning.
It is fundamentally about how we evaluate the true value of major infrastructure investments during Vietnam's next stage of development.
General Secretary and State President To Lam speaks at the national conference on implementing Resolution No. 10 on foreign-invested economic development on June 30. Photo: National Assembly.
Infrastructure is valuable only when it creates connections
Today, an airport should no longer be measured primarily by its design capacity, passenger throughput or aircraft movements.
Its real value lies in how effectively it connects the broader economy.
The same principle applies to seaports, data centers, high-tech parks and expressways.
A large infrastructure project may create an impressive physical landmark, but its economic value emerges only when it functions as part of a wider national development network.
The real question is therefore not which locality possesses which project, but how that project enables the country to operate more efficiently.
It is understandable that provinces aspire to build airports, seaports, data centers and high-tech zones.
No locality wants to be left behind, particularly as competition to attract investment intensifies.
Yet when these ambitions are disconnected from national planning, comparative advantages and regional integration, they risk transforming from engines of growth into inefficient allocations of scarce resources.
Civil aviation provides a particularly clear example.
An airport does not automatically generate economic growth if it lacks surrounding expressways, rail links, service-oriented urban areas, industrial parks, logistics hubs and business ecosystems.
A modern terminal loses much of its value if passengers spend excessive time reaching city centers or if cargo moves inefficiently between airports, industrial zones and seaports.
Successful countries avoid building symbolic projects everywhere
International experience consistently shows that successful countries do not pursue infrastructure through a "one iconic project for every locality" mindset.
Singapore did not become a global logistics leader simply because Changi Airport is modern and attractive.
Its success comes from Changi operating within a tightly integrated ecosystem linking aviation, seaports, free-trade zones, digital customs systems, financial services and high-value logistics.
Changi succeeds not merely by handling passengers efficiently, but by strengthening Singapore's position as a regional hub for goods, investment, people and knowledge.
South Korea offers another important lesson.
Incheon International Airport was never conceived as an airport serving only one locality.
Instead, it was integrated with the Incheon Free Economic Zone, the smart city of Songdo, international seaports and the wider Seoul metropolitan economy.
Through this approach, the airport evolved beyond aviation infrastructure into the centerpiece of an entirely new economic region.
The Netherlands illustrates another model based on specialization and connectivity.
Rotterdam serves as Europe's largest seaport, while Schiphol Airport functions as one of the continent's principal aviation gateways.
The country's strength does not come from every city possessing a major port or airport.
Instead, it lies in the integrated network of railways, inland waterways, logistics services, warehousing and governance systems that enable goods to move efficiently, predictably and competitively across Europe.
Dubai likewise became a logistics powerhouse not simply by constructing large infrastructure.
Its achievement stems from integrating Jebel Ali Port, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Al Maktoum International Airport and Dubai South into a unified logistics corridor.
Within that system, seaports, airports, free zones and urban development reinforce rather than compete with one another.
China has similarly adopted a clearly differentiated infrastructure strategy.
Not every city is positioned as an international aviation hub, nor is every airport assigned the same function.
Major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are connected through high-speed rail, expressways, inland ports and industrial corridors, creating an extensive transportation network with clearly defined roles.
Local ambition should align with national priorities
Viewed through this international perspective, the General Secretary and President's remarks serve as an important reminder that local development ambitions should be guided toward more sustainable, responsible and nationally beneficial outcomes.
A province does not necessarily need its own airport to prosper.
What matters is having efficient access to airports, strong logistics connections and a clearly defined role within regional value chains.
The key question should therefore shift from:
"What infrastructure does my locality want?"
to
"What role does the nation need my locality to play?"
Some regions are naturally suited to industrial development.
Others possess advantages in tourism, logistics, high-tech agriculture, education, services or ecological economies.
If every locality pursues the same development model, distinctive strengths become diluted while national resources become fragmented.
When evaluating airports, the critical question is not which province has one.
Rather, it is which region the airport serves, which economic centers it connects and what value it creates beyond the airport boundary.
For seaports, capacity alone is insufficient.
More important is whether the port reduces logistics costs, shortens transport times and enhances export competitiveness.
Similarly, evaluating a data center requires more than measuring floor area, server capacity or investment value.
Reliable electricity, clean energy, skilled talent and a mature digital ecosystem are equally essential.
This shift also reflects broader changes in foreign investment.
Today's investors no longer focus solely on inexpensive land, low labor costs or tax incentives.
They increasingly evaluate stable electricity supplies, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, ports, airports, railways, workforce quality, intellectual property protection and policy consistency.
Consequently, local ambitions alone cannot compensate for missing fundamentals.
A province hoping to attract data centers without reliable electricity or clean energy will face significant obstacles.
A high-tech park lacking universities, research institutes, technical talent and supporting industries risks becoming little more than an attractive label rather than a functioning innovation ecosystem.
Likewise, an airport without sufficient market demand, regional connectivity or a defined role within the national aviation network can quickly become an operational burden.
Major projects require even greater discipline
The passenger terminal at Long Thanh International Airport, built under a contract worth approximately VND35 trillion (US$1.34 billion), has a total floor area of more than 376,000 square meters and is designed to handle around 25 million passengers annually upon completion. Photo: Hoang Anh.
None of this suggests Vietnam should avoid large-scale infrastructure.
On the contrary, the country urgently needs strategic investments - from the North-South Expressway and Long Thanh International Airport to deep-water ports, high-speed rail, energy infrastructure and digital facilities.
Precisely because such projects are so important, they demand an even higher level of development discipline.
A mega-project creates lasting value only when it addresses a national bottleneck rather than satisfying local aspirations.
If properly connected through expressways, ring roads, seaports and railways, Long Thanh can become the nucleus of an aviation logistics and advanced manufacturing ecosystem in southern Vietnam.
Gia Binh can support northern Vietnam's next-generation industries, innovation and digital infrastructure if positioned appropriately within the regional development framework.
Phu Quoc can evolve into an international center for high-quality services, investment and new economic activities rather than remaining solely a tourism destination.
The essential point is that these projects should never be viewed as isolated stars.
They belong within a shared constellation defined by national planning, where every location has a distinct role and trajectory.
Under such a framework, Long Thanh does not exist to outshine another province, Gia Binh is not intended to compete symbolically with Noi Bai Airport, and Phu Quoc need not replicate any other tourism city.
Managing finite national resources
At a deeper level, the General Secretary's message also concerns governance.
Land, public investment, highly skilled workers, clean energy and policy credibility are all finite national resources.
If allocated according to short-term enthusiasm rather than strategic priorities, Vietnam may end up with more infrastructure but not necessarily greater national value.
An airport fulfills its purpose only when it strengthens national connectivity rather than serving as a local aspiration.
A seaport succeeds only when it enables businesses to transport goods faster, more affordably and more reliably.
A data center creates value only when it strengthens the country's digital economy instead of merely consuming large amounts of electricity under the banner of advanced technology.
Nearly 80 years ago, President Ho Chi Minh wrote that transportation is "the lifeblood of organization. When transport works well, everything functions smoothly. When it does not, all activities are disrupted."
Today, as Vietnam expands into data centers, artificial intelligence, digital logistics and high-tech industries, that principle remains remarkably relevant.
An economy does not become stronger simply by having more hearts.
It becomes stronger when its arteries are intelligently connected and function seamlessly.
The challenge, therefore, is not to dampen local ambition.
It is to ensure that every ambition is aligned with comparative advantages, national planning and each locality's appropriate role within Vietnam's broader development network.
When every province understands where its strengths lie and whom it should connect with, when every infrastructure project serves a shared national strategy rather than a local symbol, infrastructure will truly become the foundation of a more competitive, more self-reliant and more sustainable Vietnam.
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