On June 27, in Beijing, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the Vietnam-China Cooperation Conference on Strategic Transport Infrastructure Development, highlighting the vital role of enterprises from both countries.

Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang stated that Vietnam's demand for transport development capital is vast, spanning all five areas of transport infrastructure. This presents a challenge for the Vietnamese government but offers significant opportunities for Chinese and Vietnamese enterprises.

The Minister assured that the Ministry of Transport would facilitate Chinese enterprises' participation in projects, encouraging joint ventures with Vietnamese partners for investment, construction, technology transfer, and training, especially in railways and roads.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing quoted a Chinese proverb: "If you want to get rich, build roads first," emphasizing the development of a smooth, safe, sustainable, and efficient transportation system in China. He welcomed bilateral cooperation in developing and connecting transport between the two countries.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh noted that his working trip included agreements with Chinese leaders on infrastructure development, particularly strategic transport infrastructure. He highlighted the importance of this development for facilitating trade, travel, and regional and global connectivity. China's superior infrastructure development in recent years positions it as a valuable partner for Vietnam, which has significant development needs but limited resources.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh praised the conference participants' enthusiasm and commitment to cooperation. He emphasized the goal of seamless transport connectivity, digital transformation, and green development. The Prime Minister called for improved institutions, mechanisms, and policies, including tax and fee incentives. Mobilizing diverse resources, including state, private, and loan capital, is crucial. Vietnam aims to attract investment from both Vietnamese and Chinese enterprises, promoting public-private partnerships (PPP).

The Prime Minister urged China to support Vietnam with preferential capital, advanced technology, human resource training, and smart management in strategic transport infrastructure. He invited Chinese corporations to invest in various fields, including transport, digital transformation, green transformation, and renewable energy.

Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang highlighted Vietnam's substantial transport development capital needs until 2045. The planned expressway network requires around 600,000 billion VND, with at least 360,000 billion VND from enterprises. The national railway and urban railways in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City require approximately 4.8 million billion VND, with 1 million billion VND from socialized enterprise capital.

Quang Phong (from Beijing, China)