The delegates perform the groundbreaking ceremony for the Việt Nam-China cross-border bridge on March 31. — VNA/VNS Photo Hương Thu

LÀO CAI — 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 Monday.

This followed the extensive preparation for and completion of construction procedures in accordance with the regulations of both countries as well as international practices.

The project has a total investment capital of VNĐ1.5 trillion (US$58.6 billion). The main bridge spanning the Red River is a low-tower cable-stayed design consisting of three spans, with a total length of 230m and a width of 35m. The construction cost for the Vietnamese side amounts to VNĐ300 billion.

The international bridge will connect the two countries and will be completed early, before June 30, 2026, a full three months ahead of the original contract schedule.

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.

The project demonstrates the commitment of both Việt Nam and China to bringing in to full play the perceptions reached by high-ranking leaders in the joint declaration on cooperation in infrastructure development and transport connectivity, and 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.

Given the project's importance, the Ministry of Construction will coordinate with relevant agencies in Lào Cai Province and China to ensure the project is carried out and completed on schedule, meeting the highest technical standards and quality requirements, Tuấn added. — VNS

Some renders of the road bridge across the Red River in the Bát Xát (Lào Cai Province, Việt Nam) - Ba Sa (Yunnan Province, China) border area. — VNA/VNS Photo