Prospects for Vietnam-China railway development cooperation

(Dan Tri) - The railway between Vietnam and China is facing development opportunities, contributing to promoting trade between the two countries.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Thanh, Deputy General Director of Ratraco (international railway operator), said that in previous years, the number of Vietnamese train cars transiting to a third country was about 100 train cars per month, equivalent to 2 trains. However, recently the number of train cars has increased significantly. "Currently, if I send a plan, they will accept all the cars, and I can transit to any country," said Mr. Nguyen Hoang Thanh.

Opening ceremony of a train station connecting Vietnam to China (Photo: VNR).

Rail freight transport between Vietnam and China has been going on for a long time, but it was not until 2017 that the first container trains crossed the border between the two countries. Currently, most of the intermodal trains from Vietnam will go through Dong Dang - Pingxiang because the gauge of the railway from Hanoi to Dong Dang has been upgraded to standard gauge. Thanks to this compatibility, the carriages from Pingxiang can go directly to Hanoi. Ratraco's Deputy General Director said that Vietnam is connecting the railway to China and through China to Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Central Asian countries and Europe... Goods transported by rail from Vietnam to China are very rich and diverse, mostly fruits, agricultural products, ores... In the opposite direction, China also transports raw materials for production, consumer goods, machinery and equipment... Through China's railway infrastructure, Vietnam also transports tea, coffee, food to Russia, and transports garments, leather and footwear to Europe... Transporting goods by rail will be in the middle segment when compared with air and waterway. Transporting goods by rail takes longer than by plane but has cheaper fares and larger transport volume. Compared to waterway, transporting goods by rail is also significantly faster. For example, a container transported by ship from Vietnam to Russia can take up to 45 days, while transporting by rail only takes 25 days. Railways also have the advantage of being able to transport goods deep into the interior. The role of intermodal railways is even more prominent during the period when the road border gates between Vietnam and China are congested due to the Covid-19 epidemic. According to Mr. Thanh, there was a time when all other forms of transport had stopped operating to fight the epidemic, but intermodal trains were still running busily across the border between the two countries. The past and present of the intermodal railway The history of the Vietnam - China railway began in the late 19th century, when the French colonialists built the Hanoi - Dong Dang railway connecting with Pingxiang. The project was completed in 1902. With the ambition to build a railway through rugged mountains to connect all the way to Kunming, the French continued to build the Hai Phong - Yunnan railway, 855km long. Of which, 390km is located in Vietnam (Hai Phong - Hanoi - Lao Cai), and 465km in China (from Hekou to Kunming).

The train passes over a bridge on the Hai Phong - Yunnan railway (Photo: Archive).

At the time of its inauguration, the Hai Phong - Yunnan railway was an important transport link, serving the purpose of exploiting minerals in the Tonkin colony and trading with China. However, it also caused the deaths of about 12,000 local workers and 80 Europeans during its construction. Currently, from Yen Vien station (Hanoi), trains can be transported to China via two directions: Dong Dang - Bang Tuong and Lao Cai - Ha Khau. In 2019, in an event demonstrating Vietnam's role as a diplomatic intermediary, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un took a train from Pyongyang to Dong Dang station (Lang Son) and from there traveled to Hanoi to meet the US President (then Donald Trump). The armored train carrying Mr. Kim Jong Un stopped at Dong Dang station. The North Korean leader switched to a car from Dong Dang to Hanoi.

The Hanoi - Dong Dang railway was restored by Vietnamese and Chinese workers in 1955. It also became a route for goods aid from socialist countries to Vietnam during the resistance war against the US (Photo: Archive).

Of the two intermodal train routes mentioned above, the Lao Cai route is rarely exploited due to the non-uniform track gauge. The railway section from Hanoi to Lao Cai still retains the 1,000mm gauge from the French era, while the section from Lao Cai to Ha Khau Bac station (Yunnan) has been upgraded to the standard gauge of 1,435mm. The railway infrastructure from Hanoi to Dong Dang (Lang Son) has degraded, with many weak bridges forcing the train speed to be reduced to 50km/h. Future cooperation In the Vietnam railway network planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the keyword "China" is mentioned 9 times. This plan envisions that both railway routes through Lao Cai and Lang Son will be modernized and their transport capacity will be promoted. Right now, the Hai Phong - Lao Cai - Kunming railway, which was born in a tragic colonial history, is being considered for investment and development in the new era by the authorities of the two countries.

Leaders of the Ministry of Transport discussed with Mr. Ngu Hao, Secretary General of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, about cooperation in railway development (Photo: Mt.gov.vn).

Since 2015, China has planned to rebuild this route. The Chinese government has provided Vietnam with a non-refundable aid to survey and plan the project. The project brings two-way benefits. Vietnam has the opportunity to upgrade its railway infrastructure to a modern level, boosting its import and export with China. Meanwhile, goods from the southern provinces of China have the opportunity to access Hai Phong international seaport, a port much closer than the ports in the east of China. In case China provides capital and technology support for the project, the balance of interests between the two sides may determine the level of incentives that Vietnam receives.

Intermodal containers (Photo: VNR).

Recently, the Ministry of Transport has decided to assign the Railway Project Management Unit (PMU) to prepare a pre-feasibility study report for the investment project to build the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway line. On November 30, during a meeting with the Secretary General of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Danh Huy affirmed: "The senior leaders of the two countries have a very clear common understanding and jointly issued a joint announcement on cooperation to promote the implementation of a number of railway lines in the North of Vietnam connecting with China". In December, the topic of strengthening railway infrastructure connectivity continued to be discussed in a meeting between Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. The national railway network planning determined that the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong line will be about 380km long, connecting from Lao Cai to Nam Hai Phong station. Trains will run on a 1,435mm gauge double track, electrified. Investment roadmap to 2030 and after 2030.

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