The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Tran Hong Ha, Le Thanh Long, Bui Thanh Son, Ho Duc Phoc, Mai Van Chinh, Pham Thi Thanh Tra, and Ho Quoc Dung, together with leaders of ministries, central agencies and the Hanoi authorities on November 15.

Overview of the meeting. 

The Red River scenic boulevard is one of five strategic corridors identified in the Hanoi Master Plan. The project covers an estimated 11,000 hectares along more than 40 kilometers of the Red River, spanning 16 communes and wards inside Ring Road No. 4 and affecting 40,000 residents.

Hanoi has completed the main planning direction, which includes about eight landscape parks and 12 themed parks with a total planned green area of more than 3,000 hectares.

The project is expected to help Hanoi achieve four key goals: reducing traffic congestion, lowering pollution, improving urban design and resolving flooding in the inner districts.

Once completed, the scenic boulevard will also create seamless links between all existing and planned bridges over the Red River.

Hanoi aims to complete the project by 2030 and has proposed special mechanisms for planning, investment, land management, site clearance and resettlement.

For the Hanoi Olympic Sports Urban Area, the city has approved planning tasks for subzones C and D with a combined area of more than 8,200 hectares. Subzone C covers nearly 4,500 hectares across Ngoc Hoi, Nam Phu, Hong Van, Chuong Duong, Thuong Phuc and Thuong Tin, while Subzone D spans more than 3,700 hectares across Thanh Oai, Tam Hung and Dan Hoa.

Both subzones are planned to include sports facilities, residential areas, mixed-use zones, public services, schools, green spaces, technical infrastructure, heritage and religious sites, security and defense land and agricultural production.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh concluded that the Government's Standing Committee agreed in principle with the proposals. He noted that these are major projects that will help shape a clean, green, modern and globally connected capital city.

He requested Hanoi and relevant ministries to finalize the submission to the Politburo and avoid repeating mechanisms already stated in the Capital Law. Hanoi must also clarify which policies require new approval and which fall under the authority of the Government or the city.

The Prime Minister assigned Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha to work with relevant ministries and Hanoi to prepare the submission to the Politburo. Once the Politburo gives its guidance, ministries and the city will implement tasks according to their mandates.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the meeting. 

He instructed Hanoi to review overall and subzone planning to align with the vision of a cultured, civilized, green, clean, beautiful and international capital. He also directed the city to prepare a plan for effective use of surface water, ground-level space, underground space and aerospace assets.

Environmental impact assessment, river dyke management and mineral resources were identified as technical matters that Hanoi must complete according to regulations. The Prime Minister emphasized that Hanoi should strive to break ground on both the boulevard and the Olympic urban area on December 19, 2025 to create momentum for a new development phase.

Following the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a session of the Government Party Committee to review progress on preparation for the North–South high-speed railway project. The committee discussed urgent issues related to finance, credit and taxation and proposed special mechanisms to accelerate implementation. 

The Government is expected to submit these mechanisms to the National Assembly for consideration at its ongoing 10th session on November 15.