Construction of high-speed railway ensures modernity, synchronization and sustainability

The Government Standing Committee highly appreciated the Ministry of Transport for its great efforts in implementing assigned tasks and works, achieving many positive results, including completing 05 sectoral plans, drastically implementing highway projects, and disbursing public investment capital well.

The Government Standing Committee requested the Ministry of Transport to continue to closely follow the Resolution of the Party Central Committee, the Conclusion of the Politburo, the Resolution of the National Assembly and absorb the opinions of the ministries and agencies attending the meeting, and promptly complete the Project. In particular, note the following issues:

Regarding viewpoints: Construction of high-speed railways must ensure modernity, synchronization, and sustainability in accordance with the Politburo's policy in Conclusion No. 49-KL/TW. Research on investment in high-speed railways must be placed in the overall planning development, strategic forecast of the demand of all 5 modes of transport: air, road, rail, maritime, and inland waterway in the long term. Analyze the advantages of each mode, thereby clarifying the advantages of high-speed railway transport, focusing on passenger transport, supporting air transport, and transporting goods only when necessary. Transport of goods mainly focuses on: (i) current railways; (ii) maritime; (iii) coastal waterway transport; (iii) road. On that basis, evaluate and convincingly explain the proposed investment plan.

Research scope: Research on expanding the scope of the Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho route.

Regarding the investment scenario, the Government Standing Committee requested the Ministry of Transport to continue to research, evaluate carefully, and widely consult experts to choose the most suitable option (comparing the option of simultaneously transporting passengers and freight; the option of transporting passengers only); the high-speed railway line on the North-South axis transports passengers, while goods are mainly transported by sea (seaports, inland waterways) and upgrading the existing railway line.

Regarding route direction: The Ministry of Transport will study and carefully review the route direction to ensure the straightest possible route while creating new space. Further study on reducing the number of stations to reduce costs.

Regarding solutions: Perfecting mechanisms and policies in accordance with the spirit of Conclusion No. 49-KL/TW. Focusing on perfecting institutions, including the revised Railway Law, regulations on high-speed railways; resource mobilization mechanisms (mainly the state budget but it is necessary to synthesize resources with the combination of revenue from added value of urban development, calling for socialization, attracting private capital to invest in locomotives, carriages, etc.); mechanisms for site clearance, exploitation of raw materials, etc.; restructuring Vietnam Railways Corporation to ensure the capacity to manage, operate and exploit high-speed railways.

Establishment of a Working Group to implement the North-South high-speed railway project

The Government Standing Committee assigned the Ministry of Transport to urgently coordinate with the Government Office to study and establish a Working Group to implement the North-South high-speed railway project, with Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha as Head of the Group; the Minister of Transport as Deputy Head; and representatives of the leaders of the Ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, Industry and Trade, Construction, Justice, Natural Resources and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Education and Training as members. The Working Group has a working regulation, expected to meet once a month to promptly handle and promote the preparation and implementation of the Project.

Ministries and localities, based on their assigned functions and tasks, proactively implement relevant contents; focusing on a number of key issues:

The Ministry of Transport continues to consult experts, scientists, and experienced officials in the railway industry on many options to select an optimal option to submit to the Politburo. Urgently complete the Project, submit to the Government Standing Committee, and submit to the Politburo in March 2024. Urgently complete the Project pre-feasibility study report, submit to the National Assembly for consideration and decision on investment policy in 2024.

The Ministry of Transport reviews and completes institutions, norms, standards, etc. to promptly amend and supplement to create a favorable legal corridor for the development of railways in general and high-speed railways in particular; develops and implements a project on the organization and management model for national railway exploitation (including high-speed railways). The Ministry of Transport proactively coordinates with local ministries and branches to prepare necessary conditions for investment and construction, technology transfer, and increasing the localization rate. Develops a plan for training human resources in the railway sector.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment, as the Standing Body of the State Appraisal Council, continues to carry out procedures to promptly complete the appraisal of the Project's pre-feasibility study report according to regulations; coordinate with the Ministry of Transport to proactively develop a cooperation plan with foreign sponsors to mobilize appropriate capital sources for the Project; balance and arrange medium-term and annual capital plans to meet the needs of Project implementation.

The Ministry of Finance shall preside over the calculation of the impact of the Project investment on public debt; prioritize the allocation of annual state budget estimates for the development of science and technology in the railway sector; coordinate with the Ministry of Transport to analyze the financial model of the Project.

The Ministry of Construction reviews, amends and supplements legal regulations or guides procedures to speed up progress and shorten construction investment procedures.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade builds and implements a project to develop the railway industry and supporting industries to ensure synchronization with other industries.

The Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs direct the promotion of research and specialized training in the railway sector to provide high-quality human resources to serve development needs; develop cooperation plans with other countries to coordinate human resource training; research, build and establish vocational training facilities in the railway sector.

The Ministry of Information and Communications promotes the dissemination of the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws on investment in railway transport development, especially the implementation of high-speed railway construction on the North-South axis.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs proactively works with foreign partners to call for investment in technology transfer to build the Project.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinate with the Ministry of Transport in site clearance and exploitation of materials for the Project.

The People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities strictly manage the land fund agreed with the Ministry of Transport to facilitate the implementation of the Project. Prioritize the allocation of land fund around the station area to develop urban areas and functional areas according to the TOD model.

Investing in some other national railway lines

The Government Standing Committee requested the Ministry of Transport to preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies to urgently work with the Chinese side to agree on a memorandum of understanding, support plan, and investment cooperation on the three railway lines Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong, Hanoi - Dong Dang, Ha Long - Mong Cai (the Nam Dinh - Thai Binh - Quang Ninh coastal railway line extension).

It is necessary to soon invest in the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong, Hanoi - Dong Dang, Mong Cai - Ha Long - Hai Phong routes, combining freight and passenger transport; the Can Tho - Ho Chi Minh City route is mainly passenger. In the immediate future, it is necessary to focus on investing in the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong routes (striving to start construction in 2025), studying the plan to use preferential foreign loans (clearly defining: preferential loan interest rates, loan value and loan period) and the plan to issue bonds for investment.

Restart soon to deploy investment to complete the Yen Vien - Pha Lai - Ha Long - Cai Lan railway line in accordance with Conclusion No. 49-KL/TW of the Politburo.