On the morning of 19/12, speaking at the ceremony to commence, inaugurate, and technically open 234 projects and works celebrating the 14th Party Congress, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh recalled the event of 19/12/1946, when President Ho Chi Minh issued the "Appeal for National Resistance", urging every citizen to be a soldier and every village a fortress, determined to protect the nation's nascent independence.

According to the head of government, the spirit of "national resistance" from the past has become a guiding light for the entire Party, people, and army to successfully implement the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress. This includes the development of a synchronous and modern infrastructure system, identified as a key task to open up new development spaces and create a foundation for the country's rapid and sustainable growth.

In a global context marked by complex developments where challenges often outweigh opportunities, the Prime Minister stated that infrastructure development is being implemented with the motto: "The Party has directed, the Government has unified, the National Assembly has agreed, and the people have supported". The Government has focused on prioritizing resources, innovating investment thinking to avoid spreading resources too thin, reviewing and adjusting many projects to concentrate capital on key works, removing institutional barriers and obstacles, and promoting decentralization and delegation of authority to localities.

National steering committees for key projects were established and have held 22 sessions to promptly resolve difficulties and obstacles during implementation. Thanks to the efforts of the entire political system, the country's socio-economic infrastructure has seen breakthrough developments, from expressways, airports, and seaports to digital infrastructure, energy infrastructure, health, education, culture, sports, and social welfare infrastructure. These projects have been invested in and completed in record time, with rapid progress across the nation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the project groundbreaking and inauguration ceremony. Photo: Giang Huy

He noted that among the 234 projects today, 86 works are being inaugurated and technically opened with a total investment exceeding 378 trillion dong; 148 works are being commenced with a total investment of over 3 quadrillion dong. This event features three "firsts": the largest total investment to date, surpassing 3,4 quadrillion dong; the largest participation of private capital, nearly 2,8 quadrillion dong, accounting for over 82%; and the largest single project in terms of capital, the Olympic Sports Urban Area, with a total investment of approximately 925 trillion dong.

The government leader affirmed that the socio-economic infrastructure projects launched and inaugurated recently, including those at today's ceremony, reflect the vision and aspiration of the Vietnamese people and nation to "reach out to the vast sea, delve deep into the earth, and soar high into space".

This round of groundbreaking ceremonies lays the first bricks for future projects with a "vision beyond their time", such as the Gia Binh airport mega-project; works "reaching out to the sea" like Hon Khoai port and the Can Gio Urban Area; urban railway projects and international connections, preparing for the construction of the North-South high-speed railway; implementing century-long vision projects such as the Red River Landscape Boulevard Axis, the Olympic Sports Village—chosen as today's central hub; a railway rail and special steel production plant; and projects serving APEC 2027 in Phu Quoc.

The Prime Minister emphasized that these are important prerequisites and foundations for forming a synchronous and modern infrastructure system, meeting the country's development requirements in the new period. The launched and inaugurated projects also demonstrate the resolute involvement of the entire political system, especially the role of the people and businesses. This affirms the policy of developing the private economy, using public investment to lead and activate private investment, and effectively mobilizing and utilizing all social resources.

The head of government acknowledged and praised the efforts and determination of ministries, sectors, localities, investors, contractors, consulting units, engineers, and workers on construction sites, working with a spirit of "three shifts, four teams" and "working day and night". The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to the people who readily gave up land, relocated, and accepted immediate disadvantages to build infrastructure for the nation's future and for their own lives.

The Prime Minister urged all levels, sectors, and localities to continue enhancing their resolve and organizational effectiveness in investing in socio-economic infrastructure development, aiming for double-digit growth. The requirements include ensuring transparent institutions, smooth infrastructure, and effective governance; guaranteeing resources, materials, project progress, and quality; ensuring site clearance and resettlement are linked with stabilizing people's lives, with new residences being better than or equal to old ones; using capital effectively to prevent cost overruns, corruption, waste, and losses; and ensuring that every investment brings practical benefits to the people.

Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh. Photo: Giang Huy

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh stated that 2025 is a particularly important year, a year of acceleration and breakthrough to complete the 5-year Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2021-2025. It is also a year of many major national events, leading up to the 14th Party Congress.

According to the Minister, the country has completed and technically opened 3,188 km of main expressway routes and 325 km of access roads and interchanges, totaling 3,513 km, exceeding the targets set by the National Assembly and the Government. Additionally, 1,586 km of national highways and 1,701 km of coastal roads have been completed. Overall, during the 2021-2025 period, the country has put into operation 2,025 km of expressways, nearly double the total length of expressways built in the 20 years preceding this term.

The Minister reported that in 2025, the central government and localities commenced and inaugurated 564 projects with a total investment of over 5,14 quadrillion dong; private capital accounted for 74,6%, and state capital for 25,4%. Specifically, this round of groundbreaking, inauguration, and technical opening of 234 projects has a total investment exceeding 3,4 quadrillion dong, with private capital reaching 2,79 quadrillion dong, representing 82%, spanning various sectors from transportation, urban development, and industry to healthcare, education, and social housing.

According to the Minister of Construction, these results demonstrate the growing role of the private economic sector in infrastructure development investment, while also affirming the effectiveness of the policy of using public investment to lead, activate, and mobilize social resources for national development.