On November 30, Vietnam’s National Assembly conducted a voting to pass a series of draft laws and resolutions, including the investment policy for the North-South High-Speed Railway Project.
Vietnam’s North-South High-Speed Railway Project has attracted the attention of many international contractors, including Chinese companies. Although Vietnamese leaders have tried to reassure that the Pproject will be built with domestic resources, without foreign loans, this has still caused many concerns among the public about the possibility of Chinese contractors participating in this important project.
According to observers, the North-South High-Speed Railway Project is likely to be approved by the National Assembly. The reason is that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is particularly interested in and promoting this project.
According to international observers, the possibility that China could be assigned as the main contractor for the North-South Expressway project is very high. For the reason that, besides China, Vietnam will find it difficult to find another foreign partner capable of providing credit and technology for this mega-project worth nearly $70 billion. Therefore, China will be the “secret factor” and will appear as soon as there is a convenient opportunity.
Regardless, projects implemented by Chinese contractors often face problems such as cost overruns, construction delays and poor quality. The Cat Linh-Ha Dong Elevated Railway Project in Hanoi is an example.
Not to mention, the North-South High-Speed Railway Project stretches along the length of the country, with a length of more than 1,500 km. The fact that China can use outdated technologies and bring their workers to Vietnam will affect the environment as well as national security.
Given these concerns, public opinion in Vietnam has called on the Vietnamese Government to be cautious in selecting contractors, ensuring transparency, and prioritizing reputable and experienced contractors to avoid mistakes similar to ones in the past.
According to analysts, there is much evidence showing that the Vietnamese leadership wants China to provide financial and technological support for the North-South High-speed Railway Project.
In June 2024, at the World Economic Forum in Dalian, China, PM Chinh met with Chinese contractors and expressed his desire for ODA capital support, design and construction of railway lines, including the North-South high-speed railway.
Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang also expressed his desire to cooperate with China in this field. According to Thang, China’s railway technology is the most developed in the world today. Vietnam wants to learn from China’s experience, especially technology and management.
During President Xi Jinping’s visit to Vietnam in December 2023, Vietnam and China signed a series of agreements, including on cooperation in connecting and building railway lines, including the North-South high-speed railway. In particular, there have been many doubts about the reason why PM Chinh affirmed “only discuss the project, not talking about abandoning it.”
The North-South high-speed railway project, worth nearly $70 billion, will be a huge gift from PM Chinh to the Chinese leadership, especially at a time when there are only 13 months left until the opening of the 14th Party National Congress.
According to observers, loans from Beijing could make Vietnam more dependent on China, and more politically influenced by the northern country. What does that have to do with the speculations that Chinh and State President Luong Cuong are likely to surpass General Secretary To Lam at the 14th National Congress?
Tra My – Thoibao.de
