1. In his opening remarks at the seminar, the Director of the Department of Sports and Physical Education and Vice President of the Vietnam Sports Association, Dang Ha Viet, emphasized that Vietnam and China have a long-standing tradition of friendly neighborly relations and cooperation in various fields, including sports and physical education. Both sides regularly support each other in hosting international sporting events of continental scale, exchanging delegations of leaders, managers, and athletes to participate in international sports competitions held in each country. In particular, as a world sporting powerhouse, China has facilitated and assisted Vietnam in athlete training and provided support by sending skilled experts to train athletes in Vietnam, contributing to the improvement of Vietnamese sports achievements in recent years.
A view of the seminar. Photo: VOV

At the seminar, the Chinese side shared several measures for sports reform, with many documents and policies promoting the sports industry being issued and implemented. Sports has not only become a catalyst for economic growth but also a focus for improving the "happiness index" and quality of life of the Chinese people. Over the past 10 years, the integration and development of the sports industry with other sectors in China has become a supporting factor for economic development. This includes the correlation and complementarity between sports and other sectors such as: sports and tourism, sports and culture, sports and education , sports and elderly care... with their unique characteristics that have helped improve people's health, meet the needs for a better life, become a field that attracts resources and investment, stimulates consumption, and promotes socio-economic development.

Regarding the protection of athletes' rights, arranging employment after retirement not only improves athletes' benefits but also strengthens the development of professional/expert teams in national sports. By addressing psychological and personal life issues, athletes can feel secure and dedicate themselves to the sport, thereby striving to compete to the best of their abilities for their country.

In September 2023, esports will become an official competitive sport at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. This will be an opportunity to boost the development of the esports market, especially in Southeast Asia; and also a promising area of ​​cooperation between China and Vietnam. Chinese esports projects are developing rapidly and are leading the world.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the seminar, Mr. Dang Ha Viet affirmed: “This is proof of the effective cooperation between the two countries. This event is a favorable opportunity for the two countries to continue strengthening exchanges, learning, and sharing on new areas in sports management and development, and the future Olympic movement... contributing to strengthening solidarity and friendship, mutual understanding, and enhancing the sporting spirit of the two countries in accordance with the famous motto of the International Olympic Committee, which is “faster, higher, stronger, together”.

MINH CHIEN