Brian Jeffrey
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh led a government gathering on legislative issues for July 2024. The meeting commenced with a tribute to President Ho Chi Minh, fallen heroes, and the late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
One of the main topics discussed was the proposal to invest in a high-speed rail project on the North-South axis, aligning with the Central Committee and National Assembly’s resolutions.
The government officials supported presenting a plan for a modern high-speed rail that spans 1,541 km, crossing 20 provinces and cities, with an expected completion by 2035. The emphasis will be on passenger transport, with the flexibility to accommodate light freight.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed the importance of technology transfers to strengthen the railway industry, in line with the Party Central Committee and Politburo directives.
He also highlighted the necessity of crafting policies to gather diverse resources such as state funds, loans, bond issuances, corporate investments, and operational revenues. The Prime Minister emphasized decentralization and empowerment for successful infrastructure project implementation, alongside a thorough assessment of impacts.
In addition to the high-speed rail initiative, plans include upgrading current railway lines for freight and tourism, connecting with China through three railway routes, and establishing the Vientiane (Laos)-Vung Ang (Ha Tinh) railway line.
Earlier, studies were requested to determine efficient high-speed rail routes with a target speed of approximately 350 km/h.
Legislative Discussions and Opinions
The government has reviewed and approved over 100 legislative proposals, laws, and resolutions, with more than 60 sent to the National Assembly. There have been around 380 government decrees and nearly 90 normative decisions by the Prime Minister. In 2024, five legislative development sessions have taken place.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed the importance of a consistent, transparent legal system to provide clarity and maintain officials’ confidence, avoiding uncertainty and promoting national development.
He also emphasized the need for a transparent mechanism to attract domestic and foreign resources, employing public-private partnerships while preventing corruption and ensuring efficient use of state funds to enhance both public and private investments.
Thu Hang
