Delegate Sung A Lenh proposed that the Government direct the early implementation of investment in key transport projects with connection points to Lao Cai.

On the afternoon of May 29, the 7th Session of the 15th National Assembly continued working at Dien Hong Hall with a session to review the results of the implementation of the socio-economic development plan and state budget in 2023; the implementation of the socio-economic development plan and state budget in the first months of 2024. Delegate Sung A Lenh, Deputy Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Lao Cai province, gave a speech on this content at the hall.

Delegate Sung A Lenh, Deputy Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Lao Cai province, spoke at Dien Hong Hall on the afternoon of May 29.

Delegate Sung A Lenh emphasized that the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress identified 6 key tasks and 3 strategic breakthroughs: "Completing synchronous institutions", "Developing human resources", "Building a synchronous infrastructure system" including transport infrastructure, especially the expressway and railway systems of Vietnam. Accordingly, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 11-NQ/TW dated February 10, 2022 on "Orientations for socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region to 2030, with a vision to 2045", identifying the "regional linkage" mindset as the main mindset, connecting and leading the development of each locality in the region and also identifying 2 breakthroughs in regional development: developing socio-economic infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure associated with economic corridors.

The Deputy Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Lao Cai province stated that on March 22, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 316/QD-TTg approving the Lao Cai Provincial Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, identifying Lao Cai as a growth pole, a center connecting economic trade between Vietnam and ASEAN countries with the Southwest region of China; the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong, Quang Ninh railway and the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway play an important role in successfully implementing the Resolution's goals.

Scene of the working session on the afternoon of May 29 of the 15th National Assembly.

In recent times, the Government and the Prime Minister have paid attention to directing and resolving difficulties and obstacles in state management mechanisms and policies to develop the road and railway transport network. Among them, the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway and the railway line located on the Kunming - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong, Quang Ninh economic corridor connecting passenger and cargo transport between Yunnan province - China with Vietnam and ASEAN countries through Hai Phong port.

Vietnam Railways Corporation has proposed many positive solutions to improve service quality, attract train passengers (the number of train passengers in the first 4 months of 2024 increased by 17% over the same period) and actively implemented solutions to increase the output of international freight transport by rail according to Official Dispatch 13/CD-TTg dated February 6, 2024 of the Prime Minister. Open more international freight transport routes between Vietnam and China, transit through China to third countries such as Russia, Europe, Mongolia and Central Asian countries.

Delegates chaired the discussion session on the afternoon of May 29 at Dien Hong Hall.

The Deputy Head of the Lao Cai Provincial National Assembly Delegation emphasized that, however, the implementation progress is still slow compared to the requirements. Specifically: the infrastructure and capacity of the Hai Phong - Hanoi - Lao Cai railway service are still limited, not synchronous in terms of track gauge with China; the current railway line does not meet the demand for transporting goods from Lao Cai Border Gate to Hai Phong Port with the set target of transporting more than 3 million tons of goods/year.

The Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway was invested in construction and put into operation since 2014, of which: the Noi Bai - Yen Bai section (123 km) has been invested with a scale of 4 lanes; the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section (about 121 km) has only 2 lanes. After 10 years of operation, the road surface of the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section has degraded, while the traffic volume on the route has increased, leading to slow operation speed, not meeting the design speed (about 50 km/h), posing a high risk of traffic safety, not meeting the requirements for socio-economic development and tourism.

Based on the above reality, Deputy Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Lao Cai Province Sung A Lenh proposed that the Government direct the Ministry of Transport to soon issue a plan for the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line and speed up the connection of the 1,435 mm standard gauge railway line between Lao Cai Station (Vietnam) and Hekou Bac Station - Yunnan Province (China).

The Government is requested to direct the Central Ministries and branches to negotiate with the Chinese side to have a stable import-export tax policy, avoiding causing difficulties for businesses of the two countries in exporting and importing goods. At the same time, there should be solutions to build an area for inspection, control, quarantine and customs clearance of agricultural, forestry and aquatic products at the Lao Cai International Border Gate.

Also at the discussion session, the Deputy Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Lao Cai province also proposed that the Government direct the Ministry of Transport and the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises to consider and prioritize early investment in upgrading and expanding the road surface of the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway to a scale of 4 lanes according to Official Dispatch No. 16/CD - TTg dated February 21, 2024 of the Prime Minister on accelerating research and implementation of investment in upgrading expressways in operation and under investment according to the scale of phase 1.

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