Hanoi (VNA) - Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung has greenlit a proposal to expand Phu Quoc International Airport in Kien Giang province, envis💧ioning it as a tဣransformative project that will not only serve the 2027 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week but also establish a lasting legacy for Vietnam as a premier global tourism destination.

During a meeting with ministries and agencies in Hanoi on May 21, Deputy PM Dung described the expansion as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to elevate Phu Quoc, an island in southern Vietnam, into a leading hub in Asia and beyond. “This project must position Phu Quoc as a true pearl of the Far East”. To expedite the project, he called for the immediate transfer of assets from the Ministry of Construction to local authorities, ensuring that flight operations remain uninterrupted during the valuation and transfer process.

Deputy Minister of Construction Le Anh Tuan agreed with the Government’s draft resolution on the project, noting broad consensus among leaders from various ministries on the need to keep the project on pace through a fast-tracked approval process. The expansion will follow Vietnam’s Law on Investment, with the provincial officials poised to take the reins on everything from construction oversight to environmental impact assessments and fire safety regulations. Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Nhan pledged to move forward decisively once the resolution is issued. Classified level 4E, Phu Quoc International Airport handles millions of passengers annually. The expansion would see its capacity swell to 10 million passengers by 2030 and 18 million by 2050, with the airport’s footprint growing from 884ha to a sprawling 1,050ha./.