The Vietnam-Russia People's Forum contributes to strengthening "the people's support."

On October 1st, meeting with the Russian delegation attending the first Vietnam-Russia People's Forum, Mr. Do Van Chien, Member of the Political Bureau, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, stated that the Forum has profound political and humanitarian significance, representing a new direction for people-to-people diplomacy, contributing to consolidating "the people's support," and deepening the friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (105A Quan Thanh, Hanoi ), after the first Vietnam-Russia People's Forum concluded.

Proposing numerous collaborative initiatives.

At the meeting, Mr. Phan Anh Son, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations , reported on the results of the Forum. Held from September 30th to October 1st, the Forum achieved its objectives and program. Some delegates felt that the time was too short compared to the need for exchange, given the very special relationship between Vietnam and Russia.

Mr. Do Van Chien, Member of the Political Bureau, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, met with the delegation from the Russian Federation attending the first Vietnam-Russia People's Forum. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

The first Vietnam-Russia People's Forum was organized by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations in collaboration with the Saint Petersburg Foreign Affairs Committee, the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association, the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association, and the "Tradition and Friendship" Fund for Promoting Russia-Vietnam Cooperation and Development.

The forum brought together approximately 50 delegates from Saint Petersburg and Moscow (Russian Federation), including scientists, experts, scholars, doctors, legislators, lecturers, and representatives of people's organizations such as: Mr. Evgeny Grigoriev, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Saint Petersburg; Mr. Vyacheslav G. Kalganov, Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Saint Petersburg; Professor Dr. Vladimir Moiseenko, Director of the Napalkov Oncology Center, People's Doctor of the Russian Federation, Correspondent of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Professor Dr. Georgy Davidovic Toloraia, Vice Chairman of the National Research Committee on BRICS, Director of the Russian Center for Strategic Studies in Asia - Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences...

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Vietnam Gennady Stepanovich Bezdetko, staff from the Embassy, ​​the Russian Science and Culture Center, the Russian Trade Representative Office in Hanoi, representatives of Russian businesses in Vietnam; representatives of corporations and businesses cooperating with Russia, research institutions, universities teaching Russian or cooperating with Russia, representatives of sister cities, local friendship unions, Vietnam-Russia Friendship Associations at the central and local levels... also attended.

Within the framework of the Forum, a ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Russian Federation took place, along with four seminars featuring 24 presentations on diverse topics in the fields of education, healthcare, cultural exchange, trade, and more.

Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha attended and delivered a speech at the ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Russian Federation and the opening of the first Vietnam-Russia People's Forum.

Thanking Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Do Van Chien for taking the time to receive the delegation, Mr. Evgeny Grigoriev, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Saint Petersburg, said that Saint Petersburg has a long tradition of close ties with Vietnam. He recalled the historical milestone when Nguyen Ai Quoc (Ho Chi Minh) set foot in Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg) in 1923 and the inauguration of the Ho Chi Minh Monument in the city on June 30, 2023 - a symbol of the friendship between the two countries.

He stated that, since August 2020, by decision of Governor Alexander Beglov, cooperation with Vietnam has been identified as a priority in Saint Petersburg's foreign policy. Besides political and diplomatic cooperation, the city always focuses on promoting people-to-people exchanges, including youth cooperation. For many years, the city has collaborated with the Vietnamese Association in Saint Petersburg, the "Tradition and Friendship" Russia-Vietnam Cooperation Development Fund, and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations to implement many practical activities. He also mentioned the proposal to name a street in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City after Leningrad or Saint Petersburg, as well as the construction of a monument commemorating Soviet and Vietnamese experts. He affirmed that the first Vietnam-Russia People's Forum in Hanoi is a particularly significant event, contributing to strongly promoting cooperative relations between the two countries on the basis of mutual trust.

Mr. Duong Chi Kien, a businessman and President of the Vietnamese Association in Saint Petersburg, provided information about the Vietnamese community, which comprises approximately 1,500 members, including 500 who live and work there, and nearly 1,000 students. He affirmed that the community is united, abides by local laws, is closely connected to their homeland, and serves as a bridge to promote Vietnam-Russia relations.

Professor Vladimir Moiseenko, Director of the Napalkov Oncology Center, People's Doctor of the Russian Federation, and Correspondent of the Russian Academy of Sciences, emphasized the importance of international medical cooperation, particularly in cancer research and treatment. He stated that the Center has collaborated for many years with the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital and, on the occasion of the Forum, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Friendship Hospital.

Professor Georgy Davidovic Toloraia, Vice Chairman of the National Research Committee on BRICS, Director of the Russian Center for Strategic Studies in Asia - Institute of Economics, Russian Academy of Sciences, shared his perspective as a scholar with decades of research on Asia. He was impressed by Vietnam's remarkable development achievements and believed that in the context of a volatile world, the two countries need to further strengthen economic, cultural, and educational cooperation. As a BRICS expert, he welcomed Vietnam's membership in this mechanism, emphasizing the need to enhance exchanges between researchers and scholars of the two countries.

Mr. Evgeny Grigoriev, Chairman of the Saint Petersburg Foreign Affairs Committee, shared his thoughts at the meeting. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

The forum has profound political and humanitarian significance.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Do Van Chien, Member of the Political Bureau, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, highly appreciated the profound political and humanitarian significance of the first Vietnam-Russia People's Forum, considering it a new direction of people-to-people diplomacy, contributing to consolidating "the people's support" and deepening the friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Mr. Do Van Chien, Member of the Political Bureau, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, speaks at the meeting. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Mr. Do Van Chien stated that generations of Vietnamese people have always remembered and cherished the sincere, valuable, and effective assistance of the people of the former Soviet Union, and the people of Russia today, to the cause of national liberation, reunification, and the building and protection of the Fatherland. Inheriting the traditional friendship and with new developments, in 2012 the two countries upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership – the highest level in Vietnam's international relations. With an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, diversified, and multilateral foreign policy, Vietnam always considers Russia a reliable and close partner.

Looking back on nearly 40 years of reform, he stated that Vietnam has made remarkable progress: from one of the poorest countries in the world to a leading rice exporter, ranking among the top 32 economies and 20 countries in terms of trade volume; people's lives have continuously improved, and by 2025, all temporary and dilapidated houses will be completely eliminated.

Mr. Do Van Chien, Member of the Political Bureau, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, poses for a commemorative photo with the delegates. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

The Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front stated: The Front has the noble mission of gathering the strength of national unity, including the participation of overseas Vietnamese. He acknowledged the heartfelt and responsible opinions of the delegates, especially regarding trade, education, science, and technology... and said that he would report to the competent authorities to consider appropriate solutions, including the proposal to name streets and build memorials for Soviet-Vietnamese experts.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/dien-dan-nhan-dan-viet-nga-gop-phan-cung-co-the-tran-long-dan-216681.html