On the morning of October 25, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, government and ministry officials, and leaders from An Giang Province inspected projects being built in Phu Quoc for the APEC 2027 Economic Leaders' Week.
The delegation visited Terminal T2 at Phu Quoc International Airport, DT.975 Road, the light rail transit line, APEC Boulevard, the APEC Conference and Exhibition Center, and the multipurpose performance hall. At each site, An Giang officials and Sun Group project investors reported on progress.
The National Assembly chairman noted that the parties had completed a large volume of work in about 15 months despite the short schedule, difficult weather, and challenges in transporting materials to the island. Workers have continued around the clock, including on weekends and holidays.
This is not only preparation for a conference lasting several days, but also an opportunity to build modern infrastructure, services, and urban governance with long-term value, Tran Thanh Man said. He added that after APEC, Phu Quoc should pursue a position as an international conference center of global stature.
According to reports presented during the inspection, Phu Quoc Airport's second runway, measuring 3,300 meters, has been completed and is being prepared for commercial operation. Terminal T2's main steel roof is complete, while the concrete structure of the main terminal building is 95% complete. The VIP terminal for heads of state has entered the finishing stage.
The National Assembly chairman called for studying Changi Airport's operating experience to improve aviation services. For urban management, he also recommended studying Singapore's approaches to planning, the environment, transport, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence, while adapting them rather than applying them mechanically.
The 17.59-kilometer LRT line has nearly 10 kilometers of track installed. Completion and trial operation are planned for June 2027. The ten-lane DT.975 Road and APEC Boulevard are also targeted for completion before April 30, 2027. The APEC Conference and Exhibition Center is 98% structurally complete, while it and the 4,030-seat multipurpose hall are planned for completion in March 2027.
Projects must be completed by June 30, 2027
After the site inspection, An Giang Chairman of the People's Committee Ho Van Muong confirmed that all APEC projects remained on schedule. The province committed to completing them by June 30, 2027.
He also identified reasons why several projects were behind their original contractual schedules. The DT.975 Road contract, for example, was given a very short schedule from the start to put pressure on the contractor. Other difficulties included site clearance because of complex land origins in Phu Quoc, a prolonged rainy season, and an expanded project scope: the road was widened from eight to ten lanes and frontage roads were added.
Ho Van Muong said mechanisms and policies issued by the National Assembly and the government had helped the province address planning, architecture, investment, land, construction, land funds used for payment, and project settlement issues.
Representatives of ministries and agencies proposed solutions at the meeting to remove obstacles and keep the projects on schedule.
More support for investors needed to meet APEC 2027 deadline
After hearing the comments, the National Assembly chairman praised the efforts of the government, ministries, An Giang leaders, and Sun Group, whose teams have worked day and night, including during holidays, on the APEC 2027 projects.
He said choosing Phu Quoc to host APEC was politically important and would introduce the island's tourism potential to international visitors. Tran Thanh Man instructed An Giang and the Phu Quoc special administrative zone to provide more support to investors and promote APEC 2027 more widely. He also called for attention to social housing, sanitation, and a clean environment, and urged residents to support the event and protect the environment.
The National Assembly chairman ordered officials not to move the June 30, 2027 deadline and to leave enough time for acceptance, testing, and full rehearsals. Some facilities should be completed one or two months earlier, he said.
He stressed that faster construction must not lower safety, quality, or architectural standards. Fast construction must never mean careless construction; progress should be measured in minutes and hours, not only in days, he said.
Sources: Thanh Niên
