The northern mountainous province of Lào Cai and China’s Yunnan Province broke ground on a road bridge across the Red River in the Bát Xát (Lào Cai Province, Việt Nam) - Ba Sa (Yunnan Province, China) border area on March 31st.
On Vietnamese side, there were comrade Le Anh Tuan, Deputy Minister of Construction; leaders of several central ministries and branches; leaders of Yen Bai Provincial People's Committee.
Delegates were at the groundbreaking ceremony
On Chinese side, there were leaders of the Department of Roads, Ministry of Transport; leaders of the People's Government of Yunnan Province; and the Vietnamese Consulate General in Kunming.
The project was launched nearly 10 years ago. In November 2016, Lao Cai province and representatives of central ministries and branches (Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Construction, National Border Committee - Ministry of Foreign Affairs...) conducted a field survey and the central ministries and branches agreed with the proposal of Lao Cai province, reporting to the Government on the policy of building a road bridge across the Red River in the border area of Bat Xat (Vietnam) - Ba Sai (China). On January 29, 2018, the Prime Minister agreed with the proposal of Lao Cai province on the construction of the road bridge across the Red River in the border area of Bat Xat (Vietnam) - Ba Sai (China).
During the State visit to Vietnam of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping from December 12-13, 2023, 36 cooperation agreements were signed by central and local departments, ministries, and branches of Vietnam and China, including the Agreement and Protocol between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the construction of a road bridge across the Red River in the border area of Bat Xat (Vietnam) - Ba Sai (China).
After the efforts of the two provinces of Lao Cai (Vietnam) and Yunnan (China) to complete investment procedures for bridge construction, the project has started construction on March 31st.
At the ground-breaking ceremony, Deputy Minister of Construction Lê Anh Tuấn affirmed that the bridge will serve as a vital transportation link, reducing travel time while promoting trade development, tourism, and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Upon completion, the facility will open multiple opportunities for economic cooperation and investment as well as improve living standards for border residents of both sides.
Deputy Minister of Construction Le Anh Tuan spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony.
The project demonstrates the two Government’s determination in building a border transportation system towards a region with sustainable development, peace, and prosperity, he underscored.
The commencement of the project, together with the upcoming development of Sa Pa Airport, the standard-gauge Lào Cai - Hà Nội - Hải Phòng Railway, and the expansion of the Nội Bài - Lào Cai Expressway from Yên Bái to Lào Cai to four lanes will soon transform Lào Cai into a growth pole and centre for trade connections between Việt Nam and other ASEAN countries and the southwestern part of China as defined in Resolution 11-NQ/BCT of the Politburo on the development of the Northern Midlands and Mountains provinces.
The delegates performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the Việt Nam-China cross-border bridge.
In the coming time, the Chinese Ministry of Transport will continue to coordinate with Vietnamese ministries and sectors to support cross-border traffic connection projects, taking the Bat Xat - Ba Sai road bridge project as a new starting point, promoting the development of a border traffic network and cooperation of both countries.