New transport minister sets out his tenure’s three priorities

After the National Assembly ratified his appointment Friday, Thang said the first priority would be to complete on schedule key national projects, especially the North-South Expressway and phase one of the Long Thanh International Airport.

The second priority would be to review current Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) projects to find solutions for difficulties and shortcomings, and at the same time, continue to attract capital from diverse sources. This policy aims to promote construction of transport infrastructure within the limited state budget’s reach, the minister said.

The third priority would be to continue coordinating with other ministries and sectors so as to accelerate disbursement for public investment projects. Large projects with inter-regional connectivity will be prioritized to help localities boost their socio-economic development.

Thang, who has worked in the banking industry for more than 22 years, said Vietnam should try to use state capital as a base alongside attracting capital from the society, especially from enterprises, to build infrastructure.

A Hanoi native, Thang, 49, has a doctorate in financial and monetary theory.