Vietnam is set to commence the construction of a new railway line from the northern port city of Haiphong to the Chinese border before the year ends.

In a statement made on December 22, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chan declared that the government will submit the project to the National Assembly for formal approval in February.

The rail line will be 417 kilometers long and run from Haiphong through Hanoi to Lao Cai Province, which borders Yunnan Province in southern China.

It is expected to be the first of two high-speed links with China, Vietnam’s biggest trading partner.

Taking a cue from the neighbours
Officials from the two countries have been discussing rail links for some time, but the success of the high-speed line built through northern Laos, along with similar lines in China, has led senior officials to believe they should do the same to bolster trade and tourism.

Rail services are clearly becoming a priority for Vietnam, with President To Lam discussing high-speed links with Chinese Premier Xi Jinping during a state visit to Beijing in August.

Last year, China expressed readiness to offer grants to Vietnam to boost the railway between Kunming and the port city of Haiphong, along with other transport links leading from southern China to Hanoi.

The Ministry of Transport in Vietnam has been preparing a pre-feasibility report for the project, which might be part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

As of October 2024, Vietnam plans to invest about $11 billion in the railway initiative.