SINGAPORE: Vietnam has laid out plans to begin work on two high-speed rail projects connecting it with China by 2030, as the Southeast Asian country looks to modernise ageing transport links and facilitate connectivity with its northern neighbour.
“According to a statement by the Ministry of Planning and Investment on April 9th, one line of the high-speed rail project is planned to connect northeastern Haiphong and Quang Ninh to the border with China’s Yunnan province, while the other line is intended to extend from Hanoi to a location near Guangxi in southern China.”
“According to VnExpress, both lines will be integrated into the larger north-south high-speed rail route. The project, estimated at US$70 billion, will span 1,500 km, linking northern Hanoi with the southern city of Ho Chi Minh. However, commencement of work on the project is expected by 2030 due to previous delays stemming from challenges related to government consensus and funding accessibility.” Earlier this month, Vietnam said it was seeking to learn from China to develop its first high-speed railway network and had sent its officials to work with Chinese railway companies, according to Reuters.China is Vietnam’s largest trading partner and a vital source of imports for the Southeast Asian country’s manufacturing sector. Trade between the two countries rose 22 per cent in the first quarter of 2024 from a year earlier to US$43.6 billion, according to Vietnamese government data.
“Currently, Vietnam and China are linked by a network of highways and two existing railway lines: the Hanoi-Pingxiang-Nanning line, which dates back to 1940, and the historic Vietnam-Yunnan line, initially constructed by the French in the early 20th century.However, China’s high-speed rail aspirations extend beyond Vietnam alone. In 2021, a semi-high-speed railway connecting Laos and China was inaugurated. This approximately 1,000 km line connects Kunming, a major commercial center in southwestern China, with the Laotian capital of Vientiane, offering passengers a journey of around 10 hours.”
The two countries are already connected via a system of highways and two old railway lines. These are the Hanoi-Pingxiang-Nanning line, built in 1940. The other is the historical Vietnam-Yunnan line, first constructed by the French at the start of the 20th century. Draws of high-speed rail projects include increased ease of international tourism, and the rising popularity of rail travel, especially among younger Chinese tourists. However, not all arrangements have been smooth running. The Thailand project was met with some scrutiny and criticism, with the Thai government agreeing to shoulder the full construction cost of US$5 billion for the first building phase, according to Reuters.
