On the afternoon of January 6, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the Steering Committee for national key projects and important railway developments, chaired the Committee’s fifth meeting.

In his concluding remarks, the Prime Minister called on the Steering Committee, together with relevant ministries, sectors and localities, to proactively implement assigned tasks and strengthen coordination in line with their respective functions, duties and mandates, underscoring the principle of clear accountability. 

He stressed the need to continue firmly upholding a spirit of high determination, strong effort and decisive, effective action, ensuring that each task delivers concrete outcomes and is carried through to completion.

Work assignments must adhere strictly to the principle of “six clear responsibilities”: clear assignment of personnel, clear tasks, clear timelines, clear accountability, clear deliverables and clear authority. Each task must be specifically assigned, closely monitored, periodically reviewed, and subject to timely commendation, rewards or disciplinary measures as appropriate.

At the same time, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed the strict implementation of the “three concentrations”: concentration of leadership, concentration of human resources, and concentration of financial and material resources for these key projects. Heads of agencies and localities must take direct responsibility and personally oversee implementation.

Project deployment must be guided by the principles of “three gains” and “two prohibitions.” The “three gains” include benefits for the State, for the people, and for businesses; the “two prohibitions” are no corruption or negative practices, and no waste or loss of public assets, resources or funds. Interests and risks must be harmonized and fairly shared among the State, enterprises and the public.

Regarding state management tasks related to the railway industry, the Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in coordination with other ministries, to submit to the Government by January 15 draft decrees on task assignment and public procurement. He also requested an urgent report on the restructuring plan for Vietnam Railways Corporation and assigned the Corporation to develop a project for the advancement of the national railway industry.

The Prime Minister further assigned specific tasks to ministries, sectors and localities for the implementation of individual railway projects.

For the North - South high-speed railway project, the Ministry of Construction was tasked, based on directives from the Politburo, with selecting the most appropriate technology and submitting it to the Standing Government for reporting to the competent authorities, to be completed before January 15. The Ministry is also required to appoint qualified consultants to prepare the feasibility study report in accordance with relevant procedures, regulations and authority.

In parallel, the Ministry of Construction is to coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to study and propose suitable investment models, public investment, public-private partnership (PPP) or commercial investment, for submission at the next Steering Committee meeting. Localities and Vietnam Electricity (EVN) are to accelerate site clearance and technical infrastructure relocation in line with approved plans and the National Assembly’s Resolution adopted at the 10th session of the 15th Legislature. Viettel and VNPT are to continue implementing assigned tasks related to control and signaling systems and technologies.

For the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project, concerning the progress of Component Project No. 2, the Ministry of Construction was instructed to complete the feasibility study and approve the project by June 2026, enabling early commencement. The Ministry of Finance is responsible for ensuring sufficient funding for project implementation, including exploring favorable loan options where appropriate.

Emphasizing the need to soon complete planning for the Hanoi - Lang Son and Hai Phong - Ha Long - Mong Cai railway lines, the Prime Minister also approved and welcomed Quang Ninh province’s proposal to serve as the investor for the Hai Phong - Ha Long - Mong Cai line, in accordance with the law.

Regarding urban railway projects, the Prime Minister commended Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City for proactively implementing metro lines within their authority, ensuring connectivity and technology transfer. Priority should be given to railway links connecting Tan Son Nhat Airport and Long Thanh International Airport, as well as the Van Cao - Hoa Lac line in Hanoi. The Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Science and Technology were tasked with studying and developing national technical standards for urban railways, while relevant ministries are to support the resolution of bottlenecks related to land clearance, capital and procedures.

The Ministry of Construction, in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Training and Vietnam Railways Corporation, was assigned to effectively implement the Project on Training and Developing Railway Human Resources to 2035, with a vision to 2045. A clear roadmap and concrete plans must be developed to ensure timely training of personnel for construction, management and operation of railway lines, particularly the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong route.

The Prime Minister called on ministries, sectors and localities to continue close coordination with the Ministry of Construction throughout all stages of project implementation, and requested the State Audit Office to provide auditing support from the outset of the projects. Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha was tasked with maintaining close oversight and direction, urging ministries, sectors and localities to act decisively and effectively, and to promptly address any difficulties or obstacles arising in the implementation process.