VIETNAM, CHINA INK SEVEN TRANSPORT COOPERATION DEALS

China’s Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping (R) and Vietnam's Party General Secretary To Lam (2nd R) view the signed cooperation documents between Vietnam and China during Xi’s April 14-15 state visit to Hanoi – PHOTO: VNA

HCMC — Vietnam and China have signed seven cooperation documents to strengthen ties in railway and road infrastructure development, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction.

The agreements were signed during General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President of China Xi Jinping’s April 14-15 state visit to Vietnam. Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh signed the documents on behalf of the Government.

Four of the seven agreements relate to railway development. These include a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint committee for Vietnam–China railway cooperation and technical support from China for feasibility studies and planning of several standard-gauge rail lines, including Lao Cai–Hanoi–Haiphong, Dong Dang–Hanoi, and Mong Cai–Ha Long–Haiphong.

The ministry said these documents aim to speed up project preparation and align with both governments’ goal of improving rail connectivity.

Three agreements concern road infrastructure. They include an intergovernmental agreement on building cross-border transport facilities at the Thanh Thuy–Tianbao international border gate, a protocol to streamline customs procedures at the same location, and a memorandum on technical cooperation in road construction and management.

The ministry said the road agreements will support projects in Vietnam’s Ha Giang Province and China’s Yunnan Province and promote trade and mobility across the border.

Source: The Saigon Times