Developing synchronised and modern infrastructure is a strategic condition for Ho Chi Minh City to maintain high economic growth and expand its urban space, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyễn Tường Văn said.
He spoke at the seminar "Investing in Synchronised Infrastructure Development: Economic Growth Driver and Expansion of Ho Chi Minh City's Development Space", organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction and Tiền Phong newspaper on October 16.
Văn said infrastructure should be more than a transport link and should support the reorganisation of the metropolis under a multi-polar model.
"An upgraded network will help relieve pressure on the historic inner city, boost regional competitiveness, promote logistics and maritime economics, and improve residents' quality of life," he said.
Văn added that administrative adjustments and new mechanisms under the Law on Urban Development 2026 give the city an opportunity to restructure its growth model.
The newly expanded urban space connects the city's financial, commercial and service hubs with industrial centres, innovation zones, seaport systems and maritime economic areas across the Southeast region.
He called on experts and policymakers to use these spatial advantages to generate value for businesses and residents.
Trần Quang Lâm, director of the city's Department of Construction, presented Ho Chi Minh City's action plan under Resolution No 09-NQ/TW. The plan aims to turn the city into a leading Southeast Asian metropolis by 2030.
Lâm said the immediate priorities were tackling major problems, including traffic congestion, severe flooding and environmental pollution.
"All tasks must be implemented on the basis of comprehensive planning," Lâm said. He added that the city was integrating master plans from the former Ho Chi Minh City, Bình Dương and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu provinces to coordinate spatial development.
The city is accelerating major projects including Ring Roads Nos. 2, 3 and 4, expressways, gateway routes and port connections. It aims to largely complete the core network by 2030.
For urban transit, Ho Chi Minh City plans to develop about 255km of metro lines by 2030.
The city is also using the Law on Urban Development 2026 to apply flexible investment procedures, speed up project approvals and attract private capital through PPP, EPC and BT arrangements.
A multi-polar economic engine
Experts at the seminar said sustaining double-digit growth over the long term would require proactive planning and coordinated project delivery across the region.
Vũ Đình Ánh, former deputy director of the Market and Price Research Institute under the Ministry of Finance, said infrastructure should support long-term growth. He called for precise financial planning because public funds could cover only part of the required investment.
Speaking about maritime potential, Nguyễn Xuân Phương, rector of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport, said the city needed an integrated system linking seaports, logistics, industry and maritime services.
The unified administrative area for major port clusters such as Cát Lái-Hiệp Phước, Cái Mép-Thị Vải and Cần Giờ requires coordinated planning.
"We must avoid a situation where ports are built first but access roads come later," Phương said. Roads, railways, navigation channels, barge berths and logistics centres, he added, must be developed alongside port infrastructure.
Architect Ngô Viết Nam Sơn presented a multi-polar urban model with three main economic centres: the central city as the financial and administrative core, the Bình Dương area as the industrial hub, and the Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu area as the maritime and logistics gateway.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trần Đình Thiên, former director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, supported the approach. He said the city should use five strategic development spaces, including the sea, air, underground, digital and cultural spaces, to become Southeast Asia's strategic gateway.
Experts concluded that unlocking this potential would depend heavily on major regional projects including Long Thành International Airport, Ring Roads 4 and 5, and high-speed rail lines.
Sources: Viet Nam News
