Special things from General Secretary To Lam's visit to Russia

General Secretary To Lam and his wife will pay an official visit to the Russian Federation and attend the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic Victory Day.

Before the visit, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Prof. Bezdetko emphasized that Russia considers General Secretary To Lam's visit an important event in the highest-level bilateral contacts this year. What is special is that the visit takes place in the context of the two countries celebrating important holidays and memorable days in history.

The Ambassador recalled that it was the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Russia-Vietnam diplomatic relations, the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the 50th anniversary of Vietnam's national reunification.

General Secretary To Lam and Russian President Vladimir Putin, June 2024 in Hanoi. Photo: Pham Hai

He shared that the presence of the Communist Party of Vietnam leader at the commemoration ceremony in Moscow demonstrates the unity of views between the Russian Federation and Vietnam on the processes taking place in the contemporary world, on the outcome of World War II...

"We appreciate this gesture by the Vietnamese leadership. We expect the leaders of the two countries to have substantive discussions on urgent issues in bilateral cooperation, focusing on promoting practical cooperation and resolving outstanding issues. We are actively preparing for the upcoming meetings and negotiations.

At the same time, we hope that the two sides will reach important agreements to strengthen the Russia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in key areas," the Ambassador expected.

Russian Ambassador GSBezdetko participated in the "Immortal Regiment" parade to pay tribute to Vietnamese and Soviet/Russian martyrs in Hanoi on May 6. Photo: Thach Thao

According to the Ambassador, meetings at the highest leadership level are always a favorable opportunity to promote cooperation in areas of mutual interest. In 2012, the two countries upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a framework that covers the widest range of topics and areas of cooperation.

Ambassador Bezdetko hopes that the two sides will discuss in detail the prospects for cooperation in trade and investment, energy, industrial production, defense and security, science and technology, education and training, culture and tourism, and people-to-people exchange.

He expressed his belief that General Secretary To Lam's visit will be successful, and that the two countries will reach agreements on strengthening trade and economic relations, including the implementation of large-scale projects in promising areas.

In the context of many changes in the world, the Ambassador said it is necessary to maintain and strengthen "relations with old, traditional friends", including the Russian Federation and Vietnam.

"75 years is a long journey. The relationship between the two countries has gone through a proud journey, formed during the arduous years of the struggle for independence and freedom for Vietnam, has overcome the test of time and is not affected by temporary fluctuations in the situation. These factors have laid the foundation for the Russia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for many decades," the Ambassador affirmed.

Vietnam is not only an important partner but also a "bridge"

Multifaceted cooperation between Russia and Vietnam is steadily developing on the basis of traditional friendship and rich experience of cooperation accumulated over the past decades. The main areas of cooperation include trade and investment, defense and security, education and training, science and technology, humanitarian and cultural exchanges.

Economic cooperation is of particular importance today. Despite the difficult international situation and strict sanctions, trade between the two countries has grown steadily, becoming more balanced and diversified. For example, by 2024, Russia-Vietnam trade turnover will increase by 26% and reach about 4.6 billion USD. This trend will continue this year.

Russia considers Vietnam not only an important partner but also a “bridge” to promote cooperation with other Southeast Asian countries. Russian companies in the energy, mining and agricultural sectors are interested in establishing close cooperation with Vietnamese partners. Cooperation at the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Research and Technology Center, where unique research in the fields of medicine, ecology and materials science is conducted, “deserves great honor”.

A Russian language class in Hanoi. Photo: Pushkin Institute

In traditional areas of cooperation such as science and technology, education and training, Russia annually provides scholarships to 1,000 Vietnamese students. Vietnamese who know Russian and Russians who speak Vietnamese play the role of "locomotives" in promoting friendship between the two peoples.

"Direct human-to-human exchanges are always the real driving force to promote humanitarian purposes," the Ambassador said.

Direct flights between Russia and Vietnam have contributed to the increase in tourist arrivals. In 2024, more than 200,000 Russian tourists visited Vietnam, an increase of nearly 85% compared to the previous year. The number of Vietnamese tourists to Russia is also increasing.

Localities of the two countries maintain close relations. The two countries look to the future with confidence and optimism, ready to cooperate closely to promote the great potential of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dieu-dac-biet-tu-chuyen-tham-nga-cua-tong-bi-thu-to-lam-2398638.html