The New Silk Road: Unveiling the $10 Billion Strategic Corridor Connecting Vietnam and China

General Secretary and President To Lam discusses railway cooperation with Chinese leaders

On August 19, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, immediately after the solemn official welcome ceremony, the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, To Lam, held high-level talks with the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping.

According to the Government Portal, the talks focused on various key areas and issues, emphasizing the importance of enhancing and promoting substantive cooperation. Both sides agreed to continue strengthening security and defense cooperation, promoting economic, trade, and investment cooperation, including the connectivity of “two corridors, one belt” with the “Belt and Road Initiative,” enhancing railway and road infrastructure connectivity, strengthening supply chain cooperation, economic cooperation between border provinces, and exchanges on state-owned enterprise reform.

General Secretary and President To Lam proposed that the two sides should cooperate in constructing large, iconic projects that match the political trust and reflect China’s advanced development and technological capabilities.

He requested China’s support in the form of preferential loans, technology transfer, human resource training, and high-quality investment in Vietnam’s key transport infrastructure projects, as well as increased investment in areas where China has strengths, such as green and digital economy.

Also, on August 19, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, the General Secretary and President To Lam held a meeting with Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of China.

General Secretary and President To Lam welcomed China’s participation in the construction of three standard-gauge railway lines connecting Vietnam and China, as well as cooperation on the Vientiane-Vung Ang railway and urban railways in Hanoi.

Premier Li Qiang expressed his agreement and high appreciation for the important views of General Secretary and President To Lam. He emphasized the need for the two countries to坚持合作共赢布局，加强越南与欧洲之间的铁路运输联系，推动老街-河内-海防铁路可行性研究，规划同登-河内、芒街-下龙-海防铁路线路。

During the meeting with Wang Yang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, General Secretary and President To Lam expressed his desire to build railways connecting the two countries and attract large-scale, high-quality investment projects representative of China’s development level.

Wang Yang agreed with the cooperation wishes and proposals of General Secretary and President To Lam. He expressed China’s willingness and readiness to promote exchanges and substantive cooperation in various fields and at all levels between the two countries.

Vietnam and China sign multiple agreements on railway projects

On August 19, in Beijing, General Secretary and President To Lam and General Secretary and President Xi Jinping jointly witnessed the signing ceremony of cooperation documents between Vietnam and China.

A total of 14 documents were signed, including two related to the railway sector:

1. Certificate of Handover for the Results of the Project on Vietnam’s Standard-Gauge Railway Planning for the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Haiphong Route between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

2. Letter of Exchange between the Ministry of Transport of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China on the Feasibility Study of the Technical Assistance Project for the Planning of Two Standard-Gauge Railway Routes from Lang Son to Hanoi and Mong Cai to Ha Long to Hanoi.

The two newly signed documents on railways between Vietnam and China refer to three strategic railway lines worth billions of dollars and over 800 kilometers in length, which the two countries have continuously promoted cooperation on.

Lao Cai-Hanoi-Haiphong Railway Project

According to the plan, the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Haiphong railway line will have a standard gauge of 1,435 mm, starting at Lao Cai station and ending at Lach Huyen port in Haiphong.

The project is approximately 388 kilometers long, with a 5.6-kilometer section connecting the Ha Khau (China) and Lao Cai (Vietnam) railways. It will run eastward through eight provinces and cities, including Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, and Haiphong, ending at Lach Huyen port in Haiphong.

The line will feature 73 large bridges with a total length of over 130 kilometers, 25 tunnels measuring 25 kilometers in length, and 38 stations, including 29 new stations. It is expected to be used for both passenger and freight transport, with a total investment of about $10-11 billion.

The long-term capacity of the line is forecast to be 10 million tons of cargo per year and the operation of 15 train pairs per day.

Hanoi-Lang Son Railway Project

Dong Dang station is the last station on the Gia Lam (Hanoi)-Lang Son railway line and is of great importance for connecting with the international railway line to Pingxiang, China.

This mixed-gauge railway line, running from Lang Son to Hanoi, is about 167 kilometers long and has 21 stations along the route. Its maximum capacity allows for the operation of 19 train pairs per day and night.

Despite its crucial role in import and export activities between Vietnam and China, the infrastructure of Dong Dang station is assessed to be deteriorating and not commensurate with its potential and strengths. Therefore, the renovation, upgrade, or reconstruction of the Hanoi-Dong Dang railway line is of utmost necessity.

Currently, China is studying the provision of non-refundable aid to assist Vietnam in surveying and detailed planning for the standard-gauge railway line from Lang Son to Hanoi.

Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hanoi Railway Project

The Technical Assistance Project for the Planning and Feasibility Study of the Standard-Gauge Railway Line from Mong Cai to Ha Long to Hanoi, provided by the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China, will open a new route connecting the Mong Cai border gate to the capital city of Hanoi, boosting trade, exports, and tourism development.

There is currently no specific information available about the Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hanoi railway project. However, according to the railway network planning for the period of 2021-2030, with a vision towards 2050, three separate railway lines are planned in Quang Ninh province.

The first line is Yen Vien-Phai Lai-Ha Long-Cai Lan, with a length of 129 kilometers and a mixed gauge of 1,000 mm and 1,435 mm. It is scheduled for investment by 2030. (This line is currently under construction but has not been completed.)

The second line is Ha Long-Mong Cai, with an expected length of 150 kilometers and a standard gauge of 1,435 mm. The investment timeline for this line is after 2030.

The third line is Nam Dinh-Thai Binh-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh, with an expected length of 101 kilometers and a standard gauge of 1,435 mm. The investment timeline for this line is also after 2030.

Thus, if the Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hanoi railway line is invested in, it will be approximately 280 kilometers long.

Currently, China has completed the railway line from Fangcheng city to Dongxing city in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, just a few kilometers away from the Mong Cai border gate in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam.

“Therefore, the early implementation of the Ha Long-Mong Cai railway line will form a closed railway network connecting Ha Khau (China) – Lao Cai – Hanoi – Haiphong – Halong – Mong Cai – Dongxing (China), making an important contribution to the transportation of goods and passengers between Vietnam, China, and ASEAN,” said the leader of Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee.