At the groundbreaking and inauguration ceremony for 250 projects nationwide on 19/8, prime minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the strategic significance of these projects in infrastructure development, economic and social growth, and attracting private investment.

Of the 250 projects, 89 were inaugurated with a total investment of approximately 220,000 trillion VND. This includes 208 km of expressways, bringing the total length of expressways nationwide to nearly 2,500 km. Several large-scale projects were put into operation, such as the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge, the Tri An and Hoa Binh hydropower plant expansions, the 1,000-bed Nghe An Cancer Hospital, the Ministry of Public Security headquarters, and the Saigon Marina International Financial Center.

Other important projects completed or nearing completion include the National Data Center, the Nhon Trach 3 and 4 power plants, the 500 kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line, the Phong Chau Bridge, and major oil and gas projects. The National Exhibition Center in Dong Anh (Hanoi), covering 90 ha and costing over 7,000 trillion VND, was constructed in just 10 months and is expected to become a hub for cultural and entertainment industries.

161 new projects were also launched with a total investment exceeding 1,060,000 trillion VND. Notable projects include the Ngoc Hoi Bridge connecting Hanoi and Hung Yen, the Long Thanh - Ho Chi Minh City Expressway expansion, the Ca Mau - Dat Mui Expressway, the Hon Khoai dual-use port, the Viettel Research and Development Center, the Ministry of Public Security's Biotechnology Center, and several resettlement areas for the North-South high-speed railway and the Hanoi - Lao Cai - Hai Phong railway.

Prime minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the inauguration and groundbreaking ceremony for 250 projects on 19/8. Photo: Giang Huy

Prime minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the inauguration and groundbreaking ceremony for 250 projects on 19/8. Photo: Giang Huy

In the aviation sector, construction began on the Gia Binh International Airport (Bac Ninh) with a capacity of 30 million passengers per year. Scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, it will serve APEC 2027. This airport is positioned as a strategic dual-use facility for both economic development and national defense and security.

In addition, 22 social housing projects with tens of thousands of apartments were launched. The nationwide movement to eliminate temporary and dilapidated housing, with over 334,000 units completed, finished 5 years ahead of schedule, becoming a "special national project." The prime minister confirmed that temporary and dilapidated housing has been largely eradicated across the country.

According to the prime minister, 63% of the total investment of over 1,280,000 trillion VND comes from the private sector, while the state accounts for only 37%. This reflects the Party's policy of promoting the private sector as a key driver of economic development, with the state playing a guiding role and mobilizing social resources.

He emphasized that these key projects will "turn the tide" in national strategic infrastructure. They contribute to realizing the Party and State's vision of developing modern and synchronized infrastructure, creating new development spaces, reducing logistics costs, and enhancing the competitiveness of goods and businesses.

These projects also demonstrate the determination of the entire Party, the unity of the political system, and the joint efforts of the people and the business community, with the spirit of "walk the talk, deliver on commitments, and produce concrete results."

Prime minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed confidence that the country will have new iconic projects admired by the world and many creative socio-cultural spaces for the public to enjoy. He expects each project to be a "piece of the puzzle" brightening the picture of Vietnam: "Independent - Freedom - Peace - Unity - Integration - Powerful - Prosperous - Civilized - Affluent."

General secretary To Lam, prime minister Pham Minh Chinh, and former prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the groundbreaking and inauguration ceremony on 19/8. Photo: TTXVN

General secretary To Lam, prime minister Pham Minh Chinh, and former prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the groundbreaking and inauguration ceremony on 19/8. Photo: TTXVN

To ensure project effectiveness, the prime minister requested investors and related units to manage, operate safely, and effectively utilize the projects while protecting the environment, aiming for "bright, green, clean, and beautiful" spaces. For newly launched projects, he urged localities, investors, and contractors to quickly address legal issues, allocate resources and equipment for rapid construction, and strive to complete projects ahead of schedule.

He stressed that implementation must be based on the "3 benefits, 2 no's" principle: benefiting the state, the people, and businesses; no corruption or negativity, and no waste of people's assets, efforts, or money. Agencies and localities need to assign "6 clears": clear personnel, clear tasks, clear timelines, clear responsibilities, clear products, and clear authority to achieve "3 easies": easy inspection, easy supervision, and easy evaluation.

The prime minister called on each individual and business involved in the projects to promote self-reliance, dare to think and do, and innovate their thinking and working methods. Large enterprises should support small and medium-sized enterprises, creating a ripple effect in development. All must prioritize national and people's interests, a prosperous life, and the happiness of the people, uniting, working together, succeeding together, and developing together.

"We must be even more determined, faster, and bolder to complete key projects on time and ahead of schedule, especially high-speed railways, nuclear power plants, high-tech centers, and digital transformation centers," the prime minister stated.

Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh. Photo: Giang Huy

Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh. Photo: Giang Huy

According to Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh, from 2021-2025, ministries, branches, localities, and businesses have collaborated closely, launched many emulation movements, and overcome difficulties related to epidemics, materials, and weather. Tens of thousands of engineers and workers have worked in three or four shifts, "eating quickly and sleeping urgently," working through holidays and Tet to ensure projects are completed on schedule.

Since the beginning of the year, the construction sector has completed 455 km of expressways, bringing the total length in operation to about 2,476 km. The target is to reach 3,000 km by the end of 2025 and 5,000 km by 2030. 6 expressway projects with a length of 364 km and many other national highway routes were also started, including the Ca Mau - Dat Mui Expressway, the final piece of the North-South axis.

In the railway sector, many resettlement areas for the North-South high-speed railway and the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong line have been started. In aviation, key projects such as the expansion of Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, and Long Thanh airports are expected to be substantially completed in 2025, along with the construction of Gia Binh Airport (Bac Ninh), Cat Bi T2 terminal (Hai Phong), and Ca Mau port.

Compared to the beginning of the term, the urbanization rate has reached 44.9%, urban residents with access to clean water have reached 94%, and the average housing area has increased to 26.6 m2/person. Since 2021, the country has implemented 692 social housing projects with 634,000 units, aiming for the target of one million units by 2030.

"The groundbreaking and inauguration of these projects today are of particular importance, creating a solid foundation for the country to enter a new stage of development and contributing to realizing the goal of double-digit growth in the coming years," Minister Tran Hong Minh said.

Doan Loan