All aboard: Vietnam charts a 7.2 billion baht track to China
Vietnam announced an estimated cost of 179 trillion dong (US$7.2 billion) to build a new railway connecting it with China‘s Yunnan province. The proposed 427-kilometre railway will traverse from Lao Cai province, through Hanoi, and extend to the port city of Haiphong and Ha Long City, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
The country is actively pursuing the upgrade of its outdated railway systems. This includes ambitious plans for a high-speed railway spanning the length of Vietnam and additional lines linking it to China, which remains its largest trading partner.
The Vietnam Railway Authority submitted a detailed plan for the Lao Cai-Ha Long railway to the transport ministry, seeking review and approval. Construction is projected to start in 2030. The railway is anticipated to handle 8.3 million passengers and 17.5 million metric tonnes of cargo annually by 2050.
Vietnam is looking to China for both technology and funding to advance its railway infrastructure projects. Existing connections between the two countries comprise a network of highways and two antiquated railway lines on the Vietnam side that require significant upgrades.
The two nations have consistently expressed a mutual interest in enhancing rail connectivity. Recent diplomatic visits by their leaders frequently culminated in agreements centred on railway cooperation, reported Bangkok Post.
In a separate development, Vietnam’s National Assembly is set to convene on Monday to deliberate on a US$67 billion plan for constructing a 1,541-kilometre high-speed railway from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. This project represents the largest infrastructure undertaking in the country’s history.
In related news, China’s plans to extend the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) into Thailand are set to transform Southeast Asian trade. Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced the initiative during his visit to Malaysia.
The US$10 billion (approximately 366 billion baht) ECRL, a key project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aims to connect Malaysia’s east and west coasts by 2026. Initially proposed in 2017, the 665-kilometre rail line has seen numerous revisions.
