Throughout the process of renewal and international integration, infrastructure has consistently been identified as the “lifeblood” of the national economy. The 13th Party Congress term marked a decisive shift in both mindset and action, as strategic infrastructure breakthroughs were pursued with determination and coordination, laying a critical foundation for turning Vietnam’s aspiration of becoming a strong and prosperous nation into reality.

Pride and optimism have become common public sentiments in recent years, showing visible improvements in infrastructure, widely seen as the country’s outward face.

First and foremost, it can be affirmed that never before has Vietnam’s transport infrastructure system received investment on such a large scale, at such speed, and with such strong political resolve as in the recent period. The eastern section of the North–South Expressway is gradually taking shape as the backbone of the economy, with multiple sections launched and completed, significantly shortening travel time between key economic regions.

Deep-water seaports in Hai Phong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, now part of Ho Chi Minh City, have been upgraded and expanded, strengthening transshipment capacity and supporting import-export activities. Major airports are being developed in a systematic manner, notably Long Thanh International Airport, a project of national strategic importance, which is being fast-tracked and is expected to conduct its first technical test flight on December 19, 2025. The airport is poised to become a new growth driver for the southern key economic region.

Beyond transport, energy infrastructure has also recorded notable progress. A series of wind and solar power projects have come into operation, contributing to supply diversification and the gradual formation of a competitive and transparent energy market.

The power transmission grid is being upgraded toward smarter and more modern standards, meeting the demands of the digital and green economy. At the same time, the development of smart cities, digital infrastructure and broadband telecommunications is being accelerated, laying the groundwork for digital government, the digital economy and a digital society.

Over the past five years, public investment has been strongly concentrated, with around 80 % allocated to infrastructure. At its peak in 2025, preliminary estimates suggest public investment accounted for up to 7% of GDP. Given constrained resources, this allocation underscores infrastructure’s priority status, in line with the goal of achieving infrastructure breakthroughs, one of the three strategic breakthroughs set out in Party resolutions.

A notable feature of the 13th Congress term has been a fundamental change in infrastructure investment approach. Moving away from a model largely reliant on the state budget, Vietnam has decisively opened greater space for private and foreign-invested sectors.

Public-private partnership frameworks have been progressively refined, providing a clearer and more transparent legal environment for investors. Many large domestic private enterprises are now involved in building expressways, seaports, airports and logistics facilities, easing pressure on public finances while improving project management efficiency.

Meanwhile, efforts to mobilize international capital through multilateral financial institutions and infrastructure investment funds have become more structured, reflecting a deeper and more sustainable integration approach. As a participant in multiple key infrastructure projects under PPP arrangements, Phan Huu Duy Quoc, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Construction Corporation No. 1, said that clear Party orientations and decisive government leadership in pursuing national objectives have enabled Vietnamese private enterprises to grow steadily, demonstrate their capabilities and contribute to infrastructure breakthroughs.

“In construction, even projects involving complex technologies, highly challenging works, the tallest structures in Vietnam or major sea-crossing bridges, domestic enterprises are now fully capable of delivering them. Development has been strong, and we are ready to take on large-scale assignments,” Quoc said.

Practical outcomes from a series of national flagship projects in recent years have provided vivid evidence of the Party’s strategic vision for developing synchronized, modern and inter-regional infrastructure.

Nguyen Phuong Bac, former Director of the Bac Ninh Institute for Socio-Economic Development Studies, noted that public investment during this period has shifted toward fewer projects, with a strong focus on large, inter-regional initiatives that expand development space.

Following the merger of Bac Ninh and Bac Giang, the new Bac Ninh province is built on a relatively solid inter-regional infrastructure foundation, enabling connections between the northern mountainous areas and the Red River Delta, as well as links between the northern highlands and the coastal region, including Quang Ninh and Hai Phong.

With infrastructure breakthroughs, projects such as the North-South Expressway, major urban ring roads, Long Thanh International Airport, large-scale logistics centers, and integrated industrial, urban and service complexes are no longer merely construction works.

They embody a new development mindset, one in which infrastructure moves ahead of demand, opening pathways for investment, trade and innovation, and forming the basis for Vietnam’s rise toward strength and prosperity.

A key driving force

As Vietnam enters a new period the draft Political Report to the 14th National Party Congress reaffirms that infrastructure breakthroughs will continue to serve as a central engine of national development. Planning thinking has been elevated to a strategic level, with regional spatial development as a focal point and stronger inter-regional and cross-sector connectivity.

The objective is not simply to build more projects, but to shape a modern, smart, green and sustainable infrastructure ecosystem, enhancing national competitiveness and strengthening Vietnam’s position in regional and global value chains.

Economist Hoang Van Cuong, a member of the National Assembly’s Finance and Budget Committee, said the new thinking on infrastructure investment attraction is evident in major socio-economic projects launched this year, with around two-thirds funded by private capital and PPP arrangements, while the state budget serves as seed capital. In the coming period, he said, Vietnam needs to further mobilize social resources, improve investment efficiency and continue driving infrastructure breakthroughs.

“In the past, we mainly focused on attracting investment for transport infrastructure. Now we clearly see that its benefits can extend across all sectors. That is why PPP models need to be expanded into areas such as healthcare, education, cultural and sports facilities to generate development resources,” Cuong said.

Looking back at the 13th Party Congress term, the journey toward infrastructure breakthroughs has laid firm foundations for a new development era. Each additional expressway segment, each expanded airport and seaport, and each emerging smart city has helped bring Vietnam’s ambition for fast and sustainable development closer, clearer and more attainable than ever.

This marks a major step forward, creating momentum for the country to move confidently into a new phase of development and realize its aspiration of strength and prosperity in the decades ahead.

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