Saturday, January 3, 2026, 17:31 GMT+7

Workers skip New Year break to speed up APEC 2027 projects in Vietnam

Thousands of workers have stayed on the job through the New Year holiday to accelerate the construction of major infrastructure projects in Phu Quoc Special Zone, an island destination administered by An Giang Province in southern Vietnam, to serve the 2027 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

At multiple large construction sites on Saturday, including the expansion of Phu Quoc International Airport and the APEC 2027 conference center in An Thoi Ward, thousands of engineers and laborers worked non-stop to keep projects on schedule for APEC 2027.

Vu Manh Thuong, a construction worker on one of the APEC-linked projects, said many workers did not take the New Year holiday due to the nature of the work and the responsibility attached to it.

He said contractors and investors encouraged workers with New Year bonuses and paid double wages during the holiday.

“Everyone here is willing and happy to contribute to completing these projects for APEC 2027,” Thuong said.

Another worker, Le Tri Han, said he accepted staying on site over the holiday and planned to visit his family later.

“As long as the project stays on schedule, we’re motivated and optimistic about the work,” Han said.

Nguyen Cong An, a representative of contractor FounTech and site commander for a package within the Bai Dat Do mixed-use urban project, said the company adopted policies to ensure workers’ well-being.

Living costs such as accommodation, transport, and travel tickets are fully covered, while incomes are 20-30 percent higher than similar work on the mainland.

According to An, most assigned tasks have reached 95-98 percent completion, with the remaining items awaiting final designs.

During the holiday period, workers shared communal meals and received 200-percent pay as recognition for their commitment, An added.

Major Vietnamese conglomerate Sun Group, which leads the major expansion of Phu Quoc International Airport, said the expansion has progressed rapidly since July last year.

The airport’s VIP terminal has completed 100 percent of structural and steel works, with mechanical, electrical, and plumbing works about 10 percent finished.

Its second runway has reached roughly 30 percent completion, with full completion targeted for March 2027.

At the APEC 2027 conference and exhibition center in subzone S3, foundation work is complete and structural works have reached 31 percent.

Steel structures are expected to be finished by January 31 this year, with exterior completion by June 30, 2026, and interior completion by January 31, 2027.

The multipurpose theater in subzone S2 has completed 95 percent of foundation work and more than 20 percent of structural construction, following a similar timeline for steel, exterior, and interior completion.