Vietnam's National Assembly has issued a resolution concluding the implementation of Resolution No. 38/2004/NQ-QH11 and Resolution No. 66/2013/QH13. This completes the establishment of a continuous two-lane route along the entire Ho Chi Minh Highway and starts a new investment phase.
Construction Minister Tran Hong Minh made the statement at a plenary discussion of the National Assembly on Friday.
The discussion covered socio-economic development plans, the state budget and public investment.
Lawmakers also considered the final assessment of Resolution No. 66/2013/QH13 and the formal conclusion of construction investment for the two-lane Ho Chi Minh Highway project.
Ly Anh Thu, a National Assembly deputy from An Giang Province, said the Ho Chi Minh Highway is an infrastructure project of major historical and political importance that fulfils the long-standing expectations of residents along its route.
Citing the Government's report, she said the Chon Thanh, Duc Hoa section is 97 per cent complete and is expected to be finished by the end of 2026. On the Rach Soi, Ben Nhat and Go Quao, Vinh Thuan sections, about 42km of the planned 55km is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The remaining 13km is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2027.
Thu stressed the need to distinguish between a technical opening to traffic and the full completion of infrastructure that meets safe-operation standards.
She asked the Government to fulfil its commitment to complete the remaining sections in the first quarter of 2027 and reinforce damaged stretches to ensure safe operation before April 30 next year.
The deputy said that if the route is not fully connected and traffic safety is not guaranteed by that deadline, the targets set by the two National Assembly resolutions should not yet be considered formally completed.
Responding to the concerns, Minister Minh said completing the two-lane road construction officially ends the phased investment period set out in Resolution No. 38/2004/NQ-QH11 and Resolution No. 66/2013/QH13. The step connects the entire Ho Chi Minh Highway from Pac Bo in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang to Dat Mui in the southernmost province of Ca Mau at a two-lane scale and provides the basis for a new investment phase under the long-term master plan.
The minister clarified that concluding the two-lane investment phase does not mean the entire project is finished. Under the road network master plan for 2021–30, with a vision to 2050, the Ho Chi Minh Highway remains an important transport artery that requires further investment and upgrading into an expressway.
A project is considered fully completed only after all construction, inspection, acceptance and operational commissioning work is finished, and final accounts have been audited and approved by competent authorities, he added.
He therefore said the National Assembly resolution concluding the implementation of Resolution No. 38/2004/NQ-QH11 and Resolution No. 66/2013/QH13 means that the main objective has been achieved: establishing a continuous two-lane Ho Chi Minh Highway and moving to the next investment phase.
The minister said that 2,499km of the highway's total length of 2,656.5km has been completed to date.
About 2,643km is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2026. The final 13km of the Go Quao, Vinh Thuan section is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of next year.
Sources: Viet Nam News
