The traditional friendship and special cooperation between Vietnam and Russia is a valuable asset, tested over the years.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha: There are few countries that have such deep affection in the hearts of Vietnamese people as Russia - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

Delighted to attend the Congress of one of the earliest friendship associations established in Vietnam, the Deputy Prime Minister said that the event was even more meaningful as it took place on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh , the beloved leader of the Vietnamese people, setting foot in Russia. It was the homeland of the October Revolution that inspired him with the passion to find a revolutionary path to save the country and liberate the nation.

On behalf of the Party, State and people of Vietnam, the Deputy Prime Minister sent greetings of solidarity and friendship to the people of the fraternal Russian Federation.

The beautiful, shining symbols of the Vietnam - Russia "love"

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the friendship between the Vietnamese people and the people of the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation has a long history, has been tested by time, and has been cultivated by many generations of leaders and people of the two countries. This is an extremely valuable heritage of the two nations.

During the most difficult years, at times of critical situations, the Vietnamese people always received the sincere, righteous, and brotherly help of the Russian people in the struggle for national liberation and nation building.

The Deputy Prime Minister and delegates paid tribute to the Soviet soldiers and experts who fought and sacrificed their blood and youth for the national independence and territorial integrity of Vietnam; as well as the outstanding sons of Vietnam who fought and sacrificed in the great patriotic war of the Soviet people during the fiercest days of the winter of 1941.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha affirmed that the Vietnamese people's national construction also bears the strong imprint of the Russia-Vietnam friendship. In a short time, Vietnam, with the support of Russian experts, from a backward agricultural country has built and developed many modern economic sectors such as hydropower, oil and gas, industry, and mining. The footprints of Russian scientists, students of Russian teachers, have been imprinted throughout the country, from rugged mountains to remote seas and islands, to help Vietnam soon overcome the consequences of war.

Hoa Binh Hydroelectric Plant, along with many other projects supported by the Soviet Union, and later the Russian Federation, has become a beautiful, shining symbol of the Vietnam-Russia "love affair".

Economic cooperation between the two countries is constantly developing, investment continues to expand, with many large-scale, modern projects being implemented in both Vietnam and Russia, including oil and gas cooperation projects that bring great benefits to both countries. Cooperation between the two economies is increasingly going into depth, comprehensively in all fields, continuing to support each other for mutual development.

The Vietnam - Russia Friendship Association currently has 32 local branches; 15 branches in agencies, units, and schools; and contact committees for people who have studied and worked in the Russian Federation - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

The harmony in the souls of two nations

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, there are few countries that have such deep affection in the hearts of Vietnamese people as Russia. That affection comes not only from the political and economic support and cooperation that Russia has given to Vietnam, but also from the harmony of souls, feelings between people, and cultural connection.

The brilliant and splendid Russian culture has become a bridge between the two nations. The literary works of high ideological and artistic value by great names such as Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Chekhov, Lev Tolstoy, Maxim Gorky, Sholokhov, Mayakovsky... have entered the subconscious and become very familiar to the Vietnamese people.

The sweet melodies of "A Million Roses", "Kachiusa", "Poplar Tree", "Two Banks", "Moscow Afternoon", etc. are being sung in the streets, villages, and countrysides of Vietnam.

It is also Russia that has trained and fostered many generations of scientists, leaders, managers, and experts, helping Vietnam have a foundation in science, technology, and engineering.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha congratulated the new leadership and members of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam - Russia Friendship Association for the 2023-2028 term - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

A solid and reliable bridge of friendship

Over the past 7 decades, with the establishment of the Vietnam-Soviet Union Friendship Association, now the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association, the traditional and sincere friendship and cooperation between the people of the two countries has been continuously nurtured. That has contributed significantly to creating strategic trust in the "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership", the highest framework of relations between Vietnam in 2012, marking a new and remarkable development step in the relationship between the two countries.

During the past term, the Vietnam - Russia Friendship Association has closely followed the Party and State's orientation in people's diplomacy, made many innovations in the content and form of activities and focused on improving practicality and effectiveness as a bridge for cooperation between organizations and localities of the two countries.

"The Association has gathered a very large force, with affection and enthusiasm for Russia passed down through generations," said the Deputy Prime Minister, adding that with its diverse composition, network of partners, fields, content and forms of cooperation, the Association's activities contribute to deepening the solidarity, traditional friendship, attachment and loyalty between the people of the two countries.

At the same time, it contributes to opening up opportunities for cooperation and development between organizations, businesses and localities, promoting cooperation in all fields of economics, trade, culture, education - training, science - technology... in the new period.

The Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged and highly appreciated the important results that the Vietnam - Russia Friendship Association has achieved in the past term. Along with Party diplomacy and State diplomacy, people-to-people diplomacy activities have deepened the solidarity and traditional friendship between the people of Vietnam and the Russian Federation.

This is a vivid practice that affirms the very important position and role of people-to-people diplomacy.

Diversify partners in both breadth and depth

Appreciating the action program in the new term, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested that the Association should be more proactive in both consolidating friendships with existing partners and building and expanding relations with new partners to create a diverse network of partners; making the most of support, coordination and cooperation from people's organizations of the Russian Federation to expand international relations, focusing on the youth, the press, the media, scholars and businessmen, etc.

"We need to further expand exchange and connection activities between Vietnamese and Russian high schools and universities, so that each student can be an ambassador of people's diplomacy," the Deputy Prime Minister suggested.

"Diversifying partners in both breadth and depth is the core task of the Association to bring about real values ​​and effectiveness in economics, trade, education, culture, science, etc., thereby deepening and improving the quality of cooperation activities, combining and complementing each other's advantages so that Vietnam and the Russian Federation can keep up with the new developments of the era," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

The Association needs to expand and develop its organization, attract members, especially young people, students, intellectuals, businessmen and even school children to participate in specific exchange, connection and cooperation activities...

Dr. Phan Chi Hieu, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, President of the Vietnam - Russia Friendship Association, spoke at the Congress - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

Along with focusing on innovation in content and form as well as improving the quality of activities, the Deputy Prime Minister hopes that there will be more research cooperation centers between Vietnam and Russia in many different fields in the trend of green transformation, digital transformation... so that the traditional friendship and special cooperation between the two countries will bring about substantial results.

The Deputy Prime Minister suggested that the Association continue to gather core cadres who are dedicated to people's diplomacy, good at foreign languages, understand the national and international situation, understand the country and people of Russia, have research and analysis skills, etc.

"Vietnam and the Russian Federation have a long history of traditional friendship and cooperation, overcoming all challenges of space and time, and are facing very good development prospects.

"That is a common, invaluable asset of the two countries and peoples of Vietnam and Russia. The sincere, steadfast, and loyal feelings between the people of the two countries need to be constantly nurtured, continued, and passed on to present and future generations," the Deputy Prime Minister stated.

Source: https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn/quan-he-huu-nghi-truyen-thong-hop-tac-dac-biet-viet-nga-la-tai-san-quy-gia-duoc-thu-thach-qua-nam-thang-363857.html