President Xi Jinping hastens construction of 3 Vietnam-China rail routes

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for more substantial cooperation between China and Vietnam, including the pacier implementation of three railway routes linking the two nations.

At a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the sidelines of the Group 20 (G20) Summit in Brazil on Monday (local time), Xi, also General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, hailed the outcomes of cooperation between the two governments and hoped for more practical measures to implement bilateral agreements.

Vietnam and China have agreed to build three railway routes to facilitate trade and travel between the two countries – Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong; Lang Son-Hanoi; and Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hai Phong – under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the “Two Corridors, One Belt” initiative.

Last month, the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport said it was drafting plans to invest $13 billion in building and upgrading two rail routes linking with China: the 156-kilometer Hanoi-Dong Dang route and the 187-kilometer Hai Phong-Ha Long-Mong Cai route.

Construction on the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong route is expected to start in mid-2027, according to the ministry.

Xi had met with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong during an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru, on November 15. Xi said China always prioritizes the relationship with Vietnam in its foreign policy with neighboring countries.

At the meeting with Chinh, Xi stressed that constant high-ranking interactions are necessary and prove the coziness and trust between the two nations’ leaderships.

Xi invited Vietnamese leaders to visit China soon in a proper time.

For his part, Chinh reiterated that Vietnam sees developing cooperation and friendship with China as a strategic choice and top priority in its foreign policy.

The Vietnamese government chief called for continued coordination to carry out agreements reached during recent high-ranking visits.

Also, during the G20 summit, Chinh had bilateral engagements with other foreign dignitaries such as U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese PM Ishiba Shigeru, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and leaders of other countries and international organizations.