On the afternoon of June 30, a delegation of 33 senior officials from Hanoi's Municipal Party Committee visited the Guangzhou Metro Museum as part of their week-long training program in the city. The visit offered the Vietnamese officials a firsthand look at Guangzhou's transformation of its urban transit system.
During the museum tour, the Hanoi officials learned how Guangzhou overcame major challenges, including complex geological conditions, technological limitations, and funding shortages, through a combination of foreign investment, independent innovation, and scientific management.
The delegation paid particular attention to smart station operations, AI-powered dispatching systems, and the transit-oriented development model that integrates metro hubs with surrounding commercial and residential areas. These practices hold direct relevance for Hanoi's ongoing metro expansion.
The visit sparked in-depth discussions between the Hanoi delegation and Guangzhou Metro's management team. Vietnamese officials raised practical questions about cost control, technical standard localization, and high-density passenger flow management, issues that have become critical bottlenecks in Hanoi's urban rail projects. Guangzhou's phased approach to network expansion and its public-private partnership models were cited as particularly instructive.
This hands-on learning session is part of a broader partnership between Guangzhou and Hanoi, formalized through a 2024 agreement that has already trained 81 Vietnamese officials across three cohorts.
With the 33rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting on the horizon, the exchange highlights the deepening cooperation between Vietnam and Guangdong in infrastructure and governance. Going forward, Guangzhou plans to continue sharing its metro expertise through technical consultations and advisory support, helping Hanoi accelerate its transit ambitions. This collaboration transforms the long-standing "comrades-plus-brothers" friendship between China and Vietnam into tangible, measurable outcomes for both cities.
Reporter | Guo Chuhua
Photo | Guo Chuhua
Chen Yunhan (intern) contributed to this report.
