Chinese giants keen on Vietnam metro railway projects

Two Chinese railway giants have informed Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of their interest in getting involved with the implementation of metro railway projects in Vietnam.

Executives of Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co. Ltd., under China’s state-owned CRRC Corporation Limited (CRRC), and state-owned Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) discussed cooperation possibilities during their meeting with PM Chinh in Liaoning province on Monday.

PM Chinh is on a four-day visit to China.

Vietnam-China railway projects

Sun Rongkun, chairman of Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co. Ltd., said that his company, which boasts top railway technology and extensive experience, was willing to join the implementation of agreements inked by the two countries and follow instructions of the two governments.

The firm stood ready to join metro projects in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; providing solutions, technology and workforce training to help Vietnam develop its railway sector, the executive added.

PM Chinh urged the Chinese giant and Vietnam’s state-owned Vietnam Railways Corporation to collaborate in manufacturing locomotives, financing and workforce training. He also suggested that the company considers joining projects outside the railway sector, like new energy.

Chinh also mentioned current bilateral cooperation in building transnational railway routes, including one connecting Hanoi, Lao Cai province and Hai Phong city; another linking Lang Son province and Hanoi; and yet another between Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city. He added that Vietnam planned to continue developing urban railways in Hanoi, especially the one linking the city to the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, and in HCMC.

PowerChina and metro projects in Hanoi, HCMC

At the meeting with PowerChina, PM Chinh urged the giant to invest more in Vietnam, focusing on railway and renewable energy sectors. Vietnam welcomes foreign firms, including PowerChina, to join railway projects agreed to by authorities of both countries including metro routes in Hanoi and HCMC.

He also proposed that PowerChina helps Vietnam with new investments, technology and management of railway sector development.

The PM emphasized that Vietnam was woking on a legal framework for direct power purchase agreement (DPPA) mechanisms and encouraging solar power for self-production and self-consumption, not to mention LNG- and gas-fired power.

Wang Xiaojun, deputy general manager of PowerChina, said the firm was ready to cooperate with Vietnam in railway, metro railway, new energy, wind power, especially in northern Vietnam.

PowerChina has been operating in Vietnam since 2000, working on contracts worth $9 billion, employing more than 1,000 laborers. These include 23 solar power projects of 2,681 MW, nine offshore wind power projects of 1,217 MW, 16 onshore wind power projects of 1,201 MW and two waste-to-power projects in Hanoi and Can Tho city capable of handling a total of 4,400 tons of waste per day.

Vietnam’s ambitious metro plans in Hanoi and HCMC comprise 10 routes each, totalling 418 km and 220 km, respectively. Hanoi has one route in operation and two others under construction, while HCMC is yet to put any project into operation.