| | APRIL 20249IN FOCUSPH, JAPAN, & US TO LAUNCH 'LUZON CORRIDOR' OF INVESTMENTS POST-SUMMITSINGTEL, VIETTEL TO CREATE UNDERSEA LINK BETWEEN SINGAPORE & VIETNAMSingtel and Viettel have inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the development of the Vietnam-Singapore Cable System (VTS), marking a significant milestone in telecommunication cooperation between the two countries. This submarine cable project aims to establish a direct link between Vietnam and Singapore, employing advanced wavelength division multiplexing technology with eight fibre pairs.Scheduled for completion by the second quarter of 2027, the VTS will serve as the shortest cable route connecting the two nations. Viettel will oversee the management of the main trunk landing stations in Vietnam, while Singtel will manage those in Singapore. Additionally, branch landing stations are anticipated to be established in Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia.Upon deployment, the VTS is projected to contribute hundreds of terabits per second (Tbps) to Viettel's international connectivity capacity. This initiative aligns with Vietnam's strategy to bolster its submarine cable network to at least 15 systems by 2030, with a collective capacity exceeding 334 tbps. Vietnam aims to prioritize short routes directly linking to key digital hubs in Asia, particularly Singapore.Vietnam intends to evenly distribute its submarine cable systems across three directions: the northern and southern regions of the East Sea, as well as the Southern Sea areas. The VTS will significantly enhance Viettel's international connection infrastructure by providing substantial high-speed capacity, opening up a connection route to the south, and bolstering redundancy and security.Notably, the VTS represents the first collaboration between Vietnam and Singapore's leading telecommunications operators to establish a cable featuring the latest advanced bandwidth technology. Ooi Seng Keat, Singtel's vice president for digital infrastructure and services, highlighted the significance of this project in meeting the escalating demand for higher-bandwidth and lower-latency connectivity in Vietnam's rapidly growing digital economy. The Philippines, Japan, and the United States have joined forces to launch a series of coordinated investments in Luzon, aiming to expedite significant infrastructure projects in the Southeast Asian nation, as announced by the White House. Under the United States' Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI), the Luzon corridor will link Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas, according to a White House official.Investments in the Luzon corridor will encompass various sectors including ports, railways, clean energy, semiconductors, supply chains, and other forms of connectivity in the Philippines, the official stated. Efforts to develop the Luzon corridor will involve organizing events and establishing a steering committee to fast-track progress, with the United States Development Finance Corporation planning to establish an office in the Philippines to support these initiatives, the White House revealed.Although the specific financial details of the PGI Luzon Corridor project were not disclosed, leaders from the Philippines, Japan, and the United States are expected to unveil further information following a trilateral summit. Earlier statements from Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez indicated that Tokyo and Washington are anticipated to inject investments worth at least $100 billion into Manila over the next 5 to 10 years.This collaborative effort aims to enhance the Philippines' economic sustainability amidst China's escalating regional assertiveness, with the trilateral partnership serving as a strategic response to this geopolitical challenge. The Luzon Corridor is a demonstration of enhanced economic cooperation, focused on delivering tangible investments across multiple sectors. Japan, the Philippines, and the United States are also partnering to expand cooperation and investments in other areas of the Philippines.
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