Dr. Huỳnh Thanh Điền, Lecturer at Nguyen Tat Thanh University (Ho Chi Minh City)

Speaking with Business Forum, Dr. Huỳnh Thanh Điền, Lecturer at Nguyen Tat Thanh University (Ho Chi Minh City), emphasized that this is an unparalleled event that creates a historic infrastructure boost. It is not only significant in terms of investment scale and the number of projects, but also reflects the Government’s strong commitment as a “facilitating state” — proactively clearing bottlenecks and paving the way for growth.

From the perspective of an economist, how do you assess the significance of launching and inaugurating 250 projects across 34 provinces and cities?

It can be said that the simultaneous launch and inauguration of 250 projects is a powerful boost to the national economy. At this moment, when a series of infrastructure, industrial, and urban projects are being implemented at once, they will immediately accelerate public investment disbursement, create massive volumes of work, generate employment, and especially stimulate private capital flows. In other words, these projects serve as “seed capital” to trigger a chain reaction, encouraging stronger private sector participation in development investment.

In the long run, these projects will form the foundation for sustainable growth. Transport infrastructure, science and technology infrastructure, or urban infrastructure are all critical areas that open the path to enhancing national competitiveness. Without such decisive steps, it would be very difficult for Viet Nam to make breakthroughs in its integration journey ahead.

Beyond their economic meaning, the implementation of 250 projects simultaneously is also a strong message to the international community about Viet Nam’s resilience. Amid global upheavals such as rising geopolitical conflicts, shifting trade policies, and countries recalibrating their integration strategies, Viet Nam continues to push ahead with infrastructure investment, maintaining one of the highest growth rates in the region, and attracting foreign investment through deep engagement in free trade agreements (FTAs).

Clearly, we are demonstrating strong internal capacity and an unyielding drive to move forward. Viet Nam does not accept stagnant growth; instead, it proactively creates momentum through infrastructure investment to pursue more ambitious goals, such as achieving double-digit growth in the coming period and becoming a high-income country.

Do you think this can serve as a solid foundation to achieve the Government’s goal of 8% growth this year and move toward double-digit growth in the 2026–2030 period?

I believe there is ample reason for optimism. We must acknowledge that achieving 8% growth this year and double-digit growth in the following years is a formidable challenge for Viet Nam, especially given global political and economic turbulence. However, as I mentioned, these 250 projects not only directly contribute to economic growth but, more importantly, create powerful spillover effects. With comprehensive infrastructure investment, private businesses will gain greater confidence to expand production and business activities. This means more jobs, higher incomes for people, and thereby stronger domestic consumption.

Additionally, major projects will help enhance the overall productivity of the economy. Typically, growth relies on three factors: labor, capital, and technology. While labor and capital have limits, technology is the decisive factor for breakthroughs and productivity gains. Therefore, investing in infrastructure—especially technology-related infrastructure—along with institutional reforms and deeper participation in global value chains, will enable Viet Nam to generate more value from the same units of capital and labor.

Of course, to realize these growth targets this year and beyond, in addition to infrastructure investment, we must continue to accelerate institutional reforms, unlock capital flows, strengthen the competitiveness of domestic enterprises, and promote innovation.

From your perspective, what are your expectations—not only for achieving high growth but also for affirming Viet Nam’s new position on the global economic map?

I hope this generation dares to think big and act boldly, first and foremost by fostering a spirit of innovation, mastering technology, and enhancing labor productivity. At the same time, we need to nurture national aspirations and cultivate a class of entrepreneurs, intellectuals, and skilled workers—as the “soldiers” on the economic front.

If 80 years ago, the strength of the nation was forged by patriotism and the will for independence, then today, that strength must be expressed through integration capacity, competitiveness, and the ability to create new value.

I firmly believe that with strategic vision and unceasing ambition, today’s generation can absolutely make Viet Nam a prosperous destination with a strong voice on the global economic map.

Thank you very much!