Party General Secretary To Lam: Long Thanh airport serves as a symbol of the nation’s development aspirations

On November 13, during a working session on the Long Thanh International Airport project, after inspecting the project site and meeting construction forces, Party General Secretary To Lam chaired a meeting with relevant agencies.

Party General Secretary To Lam speaks at the working session on the Long Thanh Airport project. Photo: Cong Nghia

In his opening remarks at the meeting, Party chief To Lam affirmed that Long Thanh Airport is a symbol of the nation’s development aspirations. He noted that agencies and contractors had made solid progress, with many project components on schedule.

Party chief To Lam speaks at the working session on the Long Thanh Airport project. Photo: Cong Nghia

The Party General Secretary stressed that Long Thanh Airport is a national key project with a very large investment scale and capacity. Once completed, it is expected to position Vietnam among the leading international aviation hubs in the Asia-Pacific region.

Long Thanh Airport is being developed under a green, smart airport model, reflecting Vietnam’s vision for synchronized infrastructure development in the new period. The project contributes to shaping the country’s three strategic development pillars: institutions, infrastructure, and human resources. Accordingly, Long Thanh Airport is a crucial infrastructure component. “Therefore, delays are unacceptable, every day of delay is a loss for the country,” Party chief To Lam emphasized.

Comrade Vu Hong Van, Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial National Assembly delegation, attends the working session. Photo: Cong Nghia

The Party General Secretary requested agencies to clarify key groups of issues related to the project, including national, regional and international competitiveness. As many countries have built major new airports, Vietnam must draw lessons and create distinctive advantages. The development of an airport city and surrounding areas must be planned in a synchronized manner, the airport cannot stand alone, it must be integrated into the overall plan to maximize effectiveness.

Comrade Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, attends the working session. Photo: Cong Nghia

He also emphasized defining the unique values and Vietnamese identity that Long Thanh Airport should embody, from architectural design and smart operations to passenger experience. The project must clearly demonstrate its contribution to socio-economic development. Areas surrounding the airport cannot remain rubber plantations, but must become urban zones, high-tech industrial parks, and tourism areas. All planning must be integrated to ensure overall effectiveness.

The Party General Secretary further requested careful assessment of investment efficiency. For Long Thanh Airport, the priority must be given to building at a level commensurate with national interests, ensuring long-term effectiveness and generating exceptional value. Regarding the transport network connecting Long Thanh Airport, especially to Ho Chi Minh City, the Party chief demanded comprehensive investment to maximize the project’s impact. “The spirit is to do it once, do  it the best, and make it on par with regional standards,” Party General Secretary To Lam said.

The Party chief also instructed relevant agencies, particularly the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), the Ministry of Construction, and the Ministry of Finance, to assess and quantify the project’s overall effectiveness. Passenger satisfaction and the airport’s attractiveness to international airlines must be regarded as key indicators to assess investment effectiveness. “A modern airport is only truly effective when passengers want to come, airlines want to land, businesses want to invest, and the nation benefits from investment,” the Party General Secretary stressed.

Comrade Nguyen Van Nen, Politburo member and Standing Member of the Document Subcommittee for the 14th National Party Congress, attends the working session. Photo: Cong Nghia

Comrade Tran Hong Ha, Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister, attends the working session. Photo: Cong Nghia

Comrade Vu Hong Thanh, Member of the Party Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, attends the working session. Photo: Cong Nghia

Comrade Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Member of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Central Policy and Strategy Commission, attends the working session. Photo: Cong Nghia

Comrade Pham Gia Tuc, Member of the Party Central Committee and Chief of the Office of the Party Central Committee, attends the working session. Photo: Cong Nghia

Comrade Tran Hong Minh, Member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Construction, attends the working session. Photo: Cong Nghia

Comrade Vu Hong Van, Secretary of the Dong Nai Party Committee and Head of the Provincial National Assembly delegation, attends the working session. Photo: Cong Nghia

Comrade Vo Tan Duc, Deputy Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee, attends the working session. Photo: Cong Nghia

By Pham Tung – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha