HANOI, April 8 -- The world's largest stadium, South-east Asia's biggest exhibition hall and hundreds of major road, aviation and energy projects - Vietnam is building faster than ever in its self-proclaimed "era of national rise".

The country broke ground on more than 550 infrastructure projects last year alone in a staggering spree that will cost around US$200 billion (RM795 billion).

And it is planning hundreds more projects, including its first nuclear power plants and a 1,500-kilometre (930-mile) high-speed railway.

Overseeing the construction drive is the country's most powerful leader in decades, Communist Party General Secretary To Lam, who on Tuesday was named president as well.

He has staked his leadership on aggressive refo...