Wedoany.com Report-Dec.30, According to the Vietnamese Government's portal, Construction Minister Nguyen Hồng Minh has requested subordinate units of the Ministry of Construction to accelerate the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway project, striving to complete the selection of construction contractors for the China-Vietnam cross-border railway project by the first quarter of 2026. At the same time, efforts are being made to finalize the specialized mechanisms, investment models, and investor selection criteria for the North-South high-speed rail project to ensure its official commencement by the end of 2026.

Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong Railway Project Accelerates

Regarding the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway project, the Ministry of Construction believes the project has entered a critical phase. It is imperative to strictly adhere to the established timelines to ensure technical and schedule coordination and synchronization with the Chinese side. The Ministry emphasized that any delays could affect the commitments of both parties and the overall implementation effectiveness of the China-Vietnam cross-border railway. The Railway Project Management Committee needs to complete the survey and design work for the remaining 16 stations in the first phase and strive to finalize the selection of construction contractors by the first quarter of 2026.

The Ministry of Construction has requested relevant units to coordinate closely and complete the feasibility study report by March 2026, which will serve as the basis for assessment by both China and Vietnam. The final connection plan for the China-Vietnam cross-border railway must be determined to ensure it does not affect the negotiation and signing of the "Agreement on Constructing a Cross-Border Railway Bridge on the Railway Line Connecting Lao Cai Station (Vietnam) and Hekou North Station (China)" scheduled to commence in March 2026.

For the second phase, which involves the main railway construction, Vietnam plans to complete the selection of technical design consulting units by January 2026 and explore introducing 4-5 major Chinese contractors to form consortiums with qualified Vietnamese enterprises for the construction. Additionally, the Ministry of Construction requires the signing of consulting contracts to be completed by January 20, 2026, and to promptly initiate research and conversion of Chinese railway engineering technical standards and quota systems. This will provide a basis for formulating regulations related to project cost management and unit price quotas.

Ensuring North-South High-Speed Rail Commences by End of 2026

Regarding the North-South high-speed rail project, the Construction Minister has instructed the Planning and Finance Department to expedite the completion of the Ministry's report on special mechanisms, investment methods, and investor selection criteria. The Economic Investment Management Department of the Ministry of Construction will take the lead and coordinate with investors to develop a detailed task plan, ensuring the North-South high-speed rail project is launched before the end of 2026. Particular emphasis is placed on utilizing special mechanisms to quickly select consulting companies to prepare the feasibility study report.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Construction will also study the establishment of a ministerial-level Special Steering Committee for Railway Projects to uniformly coordinate and advance key national railway projects.