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On the morning of April 29, Ho Chi Minh City simultaneously kicked off and broke ground on four major projects to mark the 51st anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country (April 30, 1975 – April 30, 2026). Attendees included the city's Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang and the Chairman of the People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc. The groundbreaking ceremony was organized as a multi-site event, with the central point at the intersection of Nguyen Co Thach and Mai Chi Tho streets (An Khanh Ward), the site for the Central Square project and the City Hall center. The four projects launched include: Metro Line 2 (Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem), the Central Square and City Hall project, the renovation of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum area - Ho Chi Minh City Branch at Ben Nghe - Khanh Hoi (part of the cultural park project in the Khanh Hoi area) and the International University City project in Xuan Thoi Son commune. On this occasion, the city also issued an investor approval decision for Can Gio International Transit Port project. At the central hub in Thu Thiem New City, the city kicked off Metro Line 2 (Ben Thanh – Thu Thiem), with a total investment of about 46,295 billion VND. The project is researched and prepared by Dai Quang Minh Real Estate Investment JSC (under THACO). The metro is planned to pass through the Political – Administrative Center area, connecting the existing downtown with the eastern urban space. The city identifies this as a key, urgent project with a target completion in 2030. Nearby, the Central Square and City Hall project is also being implemented, with total investment for the entire project of nearly 30,000 billion VND, with Sun Group participating. The project covers about 46.7 hectares, bounded by To Huu, Mai Chi Tho and Nguyen Co Thach roads. The City Hall has a floor area of about 272,000 m2, serving about 8,000 staff and receiving 1,500 – 2,000 visitors per day. It is scheduled to be implemented in 2026–2028. In the Ben Nha Rong area (Xom Chiếu Ward), the city is carrying out the renovation and upgrading of the Ben Nha Rong - Khanh Hoi area and expanding the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Museum branch. The project is undertaken by Sun Group's Sun Investment and Development Co., Ltd. In Phase 1, the investor focuses on the central 9-hectare area of Ben Nha Rong, including a landscape park, central square, riverside public spaces and essential infrastructure. Also at this site, the city awards investor approval for the Can Gio International Transit Port project (Thanh An Commune). The project covers about 571 hectares, with total investment around 128.872 trillion VND, aiming for a green, smart port model, with an expected capacity of 4.8 million TEU by 2030. Meanwhile in Xuan Thoi Son commune, Vingroup started the International University City project spanning about 880 hectares, with an initial investment around 59 trillion VND. The project aims to develop an ecological-knowledge city model, integrating education, research, commerce, services and large-scale park spaces, contributing to the city’s western-north urban area.
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