Vietnamese PM proposes ASEAN infrastructure priority list through 2040

Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng proposed drawing up a list of ASEAN priority infrastructure projects through 2040 at the 2026 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Manila, Philippines, on November 14. The list should focus on cross-border transport corridors, logistics, power grids, digital infrastructure and sustainable smart cities, with clear goals, funding, timelines, financing plans and assessments of each project's readiness for implementation.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng speaks at the 2026 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit.（VietVance）

Hưng said the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan for 2026–2035 should focus on four priorities: cross-border transport and logistics, regional energy connectivity, digital connectivity, and institutional and people-to-people connectivity. He called for linked economic corridors connecting transport, production and trade networks, along with stronger ASEAN power grid development, aligned standards and simpler customs procedures.

On implementation, Hưng urged member states to coordinate cross-border projects from planning and design through construction, aligning technical and legal standards and mechanisms for sharing costs and benefits. He also called for stronger feasibility studies, financial advice and risk assessments, and for bringing together governments, development banks, investment funds and the private sector. He advocated creating conditions for private companies to contribute financing, technology and operational expertise.

Figures presented during the summit discussions showed that ASEAN's gross domestic product exceeded $4.2 trillion in 2025, when its economy grew 4.9%. Growth of about 4.5% is forecast for 2026. The Asian Development Bank estimates that ASEAN needs about $210 billion in infrastructure investment each year to meet its development needs.

Hưng said Vietnam is advancing expressways, ports, major railway projects, international airports and power projects, while investing in energy, logistics and digital infrastructure. The Vietnamese government is striving for double-digit growth in 2026 and subsequent years and sees modern infrastructure as a key driver of growth.

Source: VietVance