The southeastern region needs VND738.5 trillion ($29.7 billion) to invest in transport infrastructure from now to 2030, says newly-appointed Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang.
The investment will include VND342 trillion ($13.76 billion) for the period 2021-2025, of which VND60.8 trillion will come from the central budget, and VND396.5 trillion for 2026-2030, Thang said Sunday at a conference on the region's socioeconomic development until 2030, with vision until 2045, chaired by Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong.
The southeastern region, which includes Ho Chi Minh City and the five provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, and Tay Ninh, leads the country in terms of gross regional domestic product (GRDP) and state budget collection.
Thang highlighted key traffic projects in the region, including the North-South Expressway, expressways that connect HCMC with important traffic points in the region and ring roads like HCMC Ring Roads 3 and 4, as well as the expansion of the HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay and HCMC-Trung Luong-My Thuan expressways, among others.
HCMC Ring Road 3, with eight wholly state-funded sub-projects and a total investment of VND75,300 billion ($3.03 billion), is set to begin construction in mid-2023 and complete after three years.
Regarding railways, notable projects are an upgrade of the North-South Railway, operation of HCMC urban metro line projects, research to develop the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh railway project in HCMC, the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau railway project connecting Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and the HCMC-Can Tho city railway project.
About inner waterways, the region’s key projects are an upgrade of routes connecting HCMC to Kien Luong district of Kien Giang province, Ca Mau province, the Ben Keo port in Tay Ninh province, and the Ben Suc port in Binh Duong province.
Major seaport projects include an upgrade of the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port into a major international transhipment port of regional and global level; investment in Cai Mep Ha seaport and logistics centers; relocation of ports along the Saigon River, and construction of the Can Gio international transhipment port.
The aviation industry has such key projects as the T3 terminal of Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC, Long Thanh International Airport phase 1 and 2 in Dong Nai province with a capacity of 50 million passengers in phase 2, an upgrade of Con Dao Airport, and the restoration of Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Airport.
Addressing the underdeveloped traffic infrastructure, Minister Thang emphasized reforms to the mindset of authorities, higher decentralization to local authorities, mobilization of private capitals, pacey completion of provincial planning, and use of technology in traffic management.
The southeastern region accounted for 33% of the country’s GDP and 36% of the state budget revenue in 2020. Being the biggest hub of logistics, industrial production, and seaports in Vietnam, the region handles 45% of the goods transported through national seaports.