On June 1 in Hanoi, Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) and Guangzhou Metro Group Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation agreement on the management, operation, and development of electrified railways and urban rail transit systems, as well as human resource training.
The agreement is one of the initiatives aimed at translating into action the strategic orientations agreed upon by the senior leaders of Vietnam and China during the State visit to China by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam from April 14 to 17. One of the key areas of cooperation is to accelerate cross-border infrastructure connectivity, particularly in railways, roads and border-gate facilities, with a view to expanding multimodal transport corridors to Central Asia and Europe, thereby promoting trade and logistics development.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chairman of the Board of Members of Vietnam Railways Corporation, Nguyen Sy Manh, said that under the approved development plan, Hanoi is expected to put into operation seven additional urban railway lines by 2035, with a total length of 397.8 kilometers, meeting 35–40 percent of public passenger transport demand. Beyond 2035, the city plans to launch five more urban railway lines and extend four existing routes.
In Ho Chi Minh City, six urban railway lines with a combined length of 183 kilometers are scheduled to be operational by 2035, accounting for 30–40 percent of the city's passenger transport market share. In the period after 2035, the city plans to develop four additional lines and extend five existing routes, bringing the total network expansion to 327 kilometers.
Nguyen Sy Manh called on Guangzhou Metro Group Co., Ltd. to share its expertise and provide technical support in the management and operation of intercity railway lines, standard-gauge electrified railways with operating speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour in Vietnam, as well as in project management, transit-oriented urban development (TOD), and the construction of intelligent railway transport systems.
Lai Zhihong, Vice Mayor of Guangzhou Municipal People's Government, Guangdong Province, China, proposed that the two sides establish a joint venture at an early stage to advance project implementation, making a significant contribution to the modernization of Vietnam’s national railway network in line with the approved development plan.
At present, Guangzhou Metro Group is involved in several railway projects in Vietnam, including feasibility studies, preliminary technical design, procurement services and full-process consultancy for Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 2 (Ben Thanh–Tham Luong); preparation of the feasibility study for Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 4 (Dong Thanh–Hiep Phuoc); and design consultancy services for the light rail transit project on Phu Quoc Island.
