The groundbreaking ceremony for a new national exhibition center, said to be the largest in Asia upon completion, in Hanoi was held on Saturday by the capital administration and the Vietnam Exhibition Fair Center (VEFAC).

The new center will replace the old structure on Giang Vo Street in Ba Dinh District, which will be cleared for the construction of a service, trade, and residential complex also developed by VEFAC, a subsidiary of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup.

Located on a 90-hectare area at the intersection of Nhat Tan – Noi Bai Highway and National Highway 5 in Dong Anh District, the new National Exhibition Center will be Asia’s largest in terms of area and number of constructs upon completion, the Hanoi People's Committee said.

The center will include indoor and outdoor exhibition areas, a venue for trade promotion, a conference hall, a 52-story five-star hotel and a financial hub.

The design of the main building resembles a blooming lotus flower, which is widely regarded as the national flower of Vietnam, according the developer.

Located 15 kilometers to the north of downtown Hanoi at the meeting place of Xuan Canh, Mai Lam, and Dong Hoi Communes in Dong Anh District, the center is expected to become an ‘exhibition city’ in the future.

The National Exhibition Center is also one of the ten key constructions in Hanoi, according to a plan for the construction of the capital region.

Nguyen Duc Chung, chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, asserted at the groundbreaking ceremony that the center would meet both local and international demands for exhibition events.

Construction is expected to finish by April 2018.