Sincerity, flexibility, creativity: Identity in Vietnamese people-to-people exchanges with neighboring countries

These are some conclusions from personal experience during her work that Ms. Tran Thi Xuan Oanh, Head of Asia - Africa Department (Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations), shared with Thoi Dai Magazine.

- Could you please tell us some memorable stories, memories or feelings during your time working with the people of your country?

Ms. Tran Thi Xuan Oanh, Head of the Asia-Africa Committee ( Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations ) spoke at the Congress of the Asia-Africa Committee for the 2025-2027 term, June 9, 2025. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Ms. Tran Thi Xuan Oanh: Regarding Laos, the story that moved me was the campaign to raise funds to build a house of gratitude for Ms. Kanchia in Sekong province, who bravely gave her milk to save the life of a seriously ill Vietnamese volunteer soldier during the resistance war. On the occasion of the Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2017, the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association launched a campaign to raise funds to build a house for her. This activity received the support of many Vietnamese organizations, localities and enterprises, showing deep gratitude, and was highly appreciated by Laos and awarded the Friendship Medal to the Association.

For Cambodia, we can mention the program “Nurturing Friendship”, an initiative of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association, launched in 2012. The program aims to sponsor and help Cambodian students studying in Vietnam, creating opportunities to practice Vietnamese, learn about Vietnamese life and culture, thereby contributing to fostering people-to-people relations between the two countries. After a period of implementation, awareness of “Nurturing Friendship” has become deeper and clearer.

After more than 10 years of implementation, the “Nurturing Friendship” program has attracted about 700 Cambodian students to participate. Many of them, after returning home, still maintain close contact with their host families in Vietnam. Some of them have married and invited their host parents to attend. This model not only connects the students with their Vietnamese families, but also connects the feelings between their families and Vietnamese families, becoming the nucleus to nurture friendship between the people of the two countries.

For China, these are activities to show gratitude to organizations and individuals who contributed to the Vietnamese people's resistance wars against France and the US. In 2024, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations coordinated with the Ministry of National Defense to welcome a delegation of relatives of former Chinese advisors who helped Vietnam in the resistance war against France to visit and attend activities commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory. Members of the delegation included Mr. Vi Tieu Nghi, the youngest son of Senior General Vi Quoc Thanh, former Head of the Chinese Military Advisory Group in Vietnam during the Dien Bien Phu campaign. Relatives of former Chinese advisors expressed their joy at witnessing the achievements of Vietnam's revolutionary cause and national renewal as well as the affection of the Vietnamese people towards the Chinese people. In September 2025, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations welcomed a Chinese delegation, including two representatives from Nam Khe Son Hospital, the unit that treated wounded soldiers from South Vietnam and mid- and high-ranking Vietnamese officials during the anti-American war, to visit Vietnam and attend activities celebrating the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day. At the meeting to honor international friends, Politburo member, Party Central Committee Secretary, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Do Van Chien awarded the Friendship Medal to Nam Khe Son Hospital. In his speech, Mr. Lieu Hong Lam, Secretary of the Hospital's Party Committee, said that the Hospital has inherited and promoted the traditional friendship between Vietnam and China, maximizing its role as the foundation and gateway for people-to-people exchange between the two countries, contributing to fostering the Vietnam-China friendship.

Ms. Tran Thi Xuan Oanh (10th from right, front row) took a souvenir photo with the leaders and staff of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations at the program "Vietnam - China People's Friendship Meeting" on April 15, 2025 in Hanoi . (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

- In your opinion, what is the most important "handbook" in this job?

Ms. Tran Thi Xuan Oanh: In my opinion, it is sincerity, responsibility, caring, understanding and mutual respect.

With Lao partners, we need to actively support and accompany each other in our coordination activities. With Cambodian partners, we focus on mutual support. With Chinese partners, the impression is the thorough, professional, methodical preparation and smooth coordination in all activities, especially within the framework of high-level visits. However, we also have to be really flexible and skillful to achieve common consensus.

For example, on April 15, 2025, during the visit of General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries jointly organized the Vietnam - China People's Friendship Meeting. To prepare for this activity, we closely coordinated with the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries to develop and agree on the content and logistics reception plan. During the preparation process and before the activity took place, the two sides proposed different plans and after discussion, the two sides agreed to coordinate to successfully organize this activity.

Ms. Tran Thi Xuan Oanh (far right) at the welcoming ceremony of the delegation of the Cambodia - Vietnam Friendship Association attending the 5th Vietnam - Cambodia People's Friendship and Cooperation Meeting, November 5, 2022. (Photo: Thanh Luan).

What do you like most about the "art of making friends" with people of other countries?

- I think that the "art of being friends" is first of all sincerity, loyalty and constant companionship, especially in difficult times.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has promptly provided medical assistance to the people of Laos and Cambodia; and taken care of the poor, overseas students and veteran volunteers in difficulty, deeply demonstrating the spirit of humanity and close friendship.

The attention, regular visits and coordination in organizing political and cultural activities have helped the friendship between peoples of the countries to become increasingly close and develop sustainably.

- Could you please share some models, initiatives or flexible and creative ways of building people-to-people relations with neighboring countries?

Ms. Tran Thi Xuan Oanh: I think that at the grassroots level, cultural, artistic and sports exchange programs between people in the border provinces of Vietnam and Laos, Cambodia and China are organized regularly. These are meaningful activities, contributing to connecting the communities on both sides of the border.

Programs to care for overseas students, such as the "Nurturing Friendship" program of the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Association or the homestay model of the provinces and cities of the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association; activities to meet and exchange Vietnamese students studying in China in different periods; or the "Red Journey of Youth Research and Study" program in cooperation with China... are vivid examples of flexible and creative ways of working, aiming at the young generation - the force that inherits and develops long-term friendship.

In addition, the role of a bridge for economic, trade and investment cooperation is promoted by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and the Vietnam Friendship Association with Laos, Cambodia, China through seminars, workshops, and business meetings. Recently, the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association, during its visit to Laos, together with the Laos - Vietnam Friendship Association, organized a meeting with young Vietnamese and Lao entrepreneurs. After this meeting, the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association forwarded the recommendations of Lao businesses to relevant agencies in Vietnam.

In addition, we proactively innovate and apply modern technology to improve the efficiency of connection and information dissemination. Social networking platforms such as Facebook, Zalo... are actively used; online exchanges are organized regularly. We digitize documents on friendship relations, documents, images, videos of foreign affairs events for easy storage, transmission and sharing on digital media channels.

From your practical experience, what suggestions do you have to promote people-to-people exchange between Vietnam and neighboring countries more effectively and practically?

In my opinion, we need to focus on three main issues:

Firstly, strengthen youth and student exchange programs between Vietnam and Laos, Cambodia and China. This is the main force, playing the role of a bridge for new generation friendship.

Second, promoting the role of people's organizations in border areas is very important, mobilizing and attracting people to comply with the laws of Vietnam and the host country, learning from each other's experiences in production and business, protecting the environment, water resources, applying science and technology in farming, and emergency rescue.

Third, the application of social networks and digitization of documents on friendship relations is an effective method to expand the reach, especially to young people.

Thank you very much!

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/chan-thanh-linh-hoat-sang-tao-ban-sac-trong-giao-luu-nhan-dan-viet-nam-voi-cac-nuoc-lang-gieng-217534-217534.html