Also attending were Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang, Deputy Head of the Central Internal Affairs Committee Nguyen Huu Dong, Secretary of the Hoa Binh Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Phi Long, Secretary of the Son La Provincial Party Committee Hoang Quoc Khanh, Secretary of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee Tran Quoc Cuong, along with leaders of various ministries and agencies, current and former leaders of Hoa Binh and Son La provinces, and a large number of people from both provinces.

The Prime Minister attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau Expressway project.

The Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway project (section from Km19+000 to Km53+000 in Hoa Binh province), with a length of approximately 34km and a total investment of about 10 trillion VND in phase 1, is managed by Hoa Binh province and is of paramount importance, creating a foundation for the completion of the CT.03 expressway.

On behalf of the Government, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sends his warmest greetings and best wishes to the Party Committee, the government, and the people of all ethnic groups in Hoa Binh province and the localities through which the project passes.

The Prime Minister emphasized that practical experience has proven that infrastructure, especially transportation infrastructure, brings clear benefits to socio-economic development. The development of transportation infrastructure opens up new development opportunities, leading to the formation of many urban areas, industrial zones, service and tourism areas, efficient land use, reduced logistics costs, and enhanced national competitiveness.

The Prime Minister stated that during the period 2000-2021, the whole country only invested in and put into operation 1,163 km of expressways. While the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party sets a target of having approximately 5,000 km of expressways nationwide by 2030, to achieve this goal, we need to reach 3,000 km by 2025 and strive to have an additional 2,000 km of expressways between 2026 and 2030.

The Prime Minister delivered a speech at the groundbreaking ceremony.

To realize this goal, in recent years, the Party, State, and Government have always paid attention and allocated significant resources with various forms of investment and appropriate policies to mobilize social investment for infrastructure development, focusing on key areas and achieving many practical results such as the Dien Bien and Phu Bai airport renovation and upgrading projects; the expansion of Cat Bi airport, Tan Son Nhat T3 passenger terminal, and Noi Bai T2 passenger terminal; the Long Thanh International Airport project: all existing problems, difficulties, and obstacles have been basically resolved, striving for completion in 2025; and the completion of the 500kV circuit 3 Quang Trach (Quang Binh) - Pho Noi (Hung Yen) project in 6 months, overcoming countless difficulties and challenges.

From 2021 to the present, an additional 858km of expressways have been completed and put into operation, bringing the total length of expressways nationwide to 2,021km; approximately 1,700km are currently under construction, fulfilling the goal of having 3,000km of expressways nationwide by 2025. Simultaneously, investment preparation is underway to soon begin construction on an additional 1,400km of expressways. These projects have provided us with valuable lessons and increased confidence and motivation in implementing larger-scale projects.

Particularly at the recent 10th Central Committee Conference, the Central Committee unanimously agreed to invest over $60 billion in the high-speed railway project, connecting Hanoi, Lao Cai, and Hai Phong with Kunming, China.

Regarding the Northwest region, comprising six provinces: Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Yen Bai, Dien Bien, Son La, and Hoa Binh, the Prime Minister assessed that the transportation system connecting within provinces, between provinces, and between regions is currently very difficult, with only one expressway, the Hanoi-Lao Cai route. This is one of the important reasons why the Northwest region has not developed in proportion to its potential and advantages.

Delegates at the groundbreaking ceremony

The Prime Minister emphasized that focusing investment resources on completing the Hanoi - Hoa Binh - Son La - Dien Bien expressway (CT.03) is of strategic importance, promoting connectivity between the Northwest provinces, between the Northwest and Hanoi and the Red River Delta provinces; creating new impetus to attract investment, develop economic sectors, contributing to promoting rapid and sustainable socio-economic development, ensuring security and national defense for the Northwest region, opening up new development space, and ushering the Northwest into a new, stronger period of development. The Prime Minister urged Hoa Binh, Son La, and Dien Bien, having already shown determination, to be even more determined and to strive even harder to successfully achieve the set goals.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the implementation of the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau Expressway Project has six major meanings: "Implementing the Party and State's policies and guidelines on infrastructure development, especially transportation infrastructure; Implementing the policy of decentralization and assigning responsibility to localities for infrastructure investment and development in accordance with the spirit of the recent 10th Central Committee Conference, which states 'locality decides, locality does, locality is responsible'; Contributing to creating new impetus and development space for the northern mountainous midland region and the Red River Delta region, including Hoa Binh province, creating regional linkages, reducing transportation costs, and facilitating transportation for people in the Northwest with neighboring provinces; Promoting economic restructuring, production and business activities in agriculture, industry, trade, services, and tourism, participating in national and global supply chains, creating jobs and livelihoods for people, contributing to improving the spiritual and material lives of the people; Contributing to building a defense zone." Regarding national defense and security; fulfilling the aspirations of the people and showing gratitude to those who sacrificed for the Northwest region."

The Prime Minister assessed that this project has overcome many difficulties and challenges, shortening investment procedures by one year. He then requested that the two provinces of Hoa Binh and Son La make greater efforts to accelerate the project's progress and further shorten the construction time; decentralize investment to the local authorities as the managing agency; and prioritize and balance central government resources to implement the project.

On behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister acknowledged and commended the efforts of Hoa Binh province, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and other relevant ministries, agencies, and units.

Regarding key tasks and solutions for the coming period, the Prime Minister pointed out that the commencement of the project demonstrates the great efforts of the province and relevant ministries and agencies; however, this is only the beginning. The project has many construction items that pass through complex terrain, where weather and climate conditions are prone to rain, floods, and landslides…

To ensure the project is completed soon and plays a driving role in promoting socio-economic development and creating positive and strong changes for Hoa Binh province, the Prime Minister requested that the entire political system, from youth and women's groups to mass organizations, must participate in land clearance and construction, with the spirit of "unity from top to bottom, seamless coordination," "support from the front and rear," and ensuring that businesses are not left "alone on the construction site."

Clearly define roles, tasks, responsibilities, timelines, and deliverables; the results must be measurable and quantifiable.

Strengthen propaganda efforts and build a vibrant emulation movement on the construction site. Those who perform well should be praised immediately, while those who make mistakes should be criticized and dealt with accordingly. We must leverage the combined strength and mobilize the entire political system to participate.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of effective propaganda and mobilization efforts to foster patriotism, a sense of responsibility, and national pride among the people. He stressed the need for consensus and unity to encourage people to voluntarily hand over their residential and production land, and to cooperate with the government and construction units in the construction of projects. He also noted that when people are relocated, attention must be paid to their well-being, and on-site resettlement should be encouraged.

The investor and construction units must implement the project with high determination, great effort, decisive action, and a focus on key priorities, completing each task thoroughly; actively coordinate closely with local authorities; and mobilize all available local resources with sufficient capacity to participate.

The Prime Minister instructed Hoa Binh province to shorten the construction time and complete it before December 31, 2027, ensuring progress, safety, quality, and aesthetics; simultaneously, to build phase 2 of the project to expand it to 4 lanes.

The Prime Minister requested that construction contractors, consulting firms, and supervisory units ensure that construction proceeds on schedule and with quality, without delays, and that they combat waste, corruption, and negative practices. They must strive with high determination, working with the spirit of "overcoming the sun and rain," "eating quickly and sleeping urgently," working in "three shifts and four teams," "through holidays and Tet," "working day and night," and "only focusing on work, not retreating," so that the project is completed ahead of schedule, in the spirit of "Commitment must be made, work must be effective, it must be integrated into people's lives, and bring happiness and prosperity to the people." Together with the local authorities, they must complete the project by December 31, 2027. They must combat corruption and negative practices in project implementation.

Ministries, sectors, and localities will continue to finalize procedures and allocate funds to implement the section from Km0 to Km19 and complete the entire route according to the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau - Son La Expressway master plan.

The Prime Minister hopes that the local people will continue to uphold their tradition of loving their homeland even more, sharing food and clothing, and contributing their labor and resources to the project's implementation.

Earlier, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his delegation offered incense and laid wreaths at the Giang Xeo Revolutionary Base Monument in Cao Son commune, Da Bac district, Hoa Binh province. The monument is the site of the province's first military training course, becoming a training ground for cadres. It was also here that the Tay, Dao, Muong, and Kinh people of the mountainous Da Bac district were enlightened and wholeheartedly followed the revolution, rising up to seize power for the people during the August 1945 General Uprising.

Vu Khuyen/VOV