Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was happy and moved during his visit to the beautiful country of Romania, where he has many deep memories, and met representatives of associations and Romanian friends.
In recent times, Romanian associations and friends have actively coordinated with the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese community to organize many meaningful activities such as commemorating important holidays of Vietnam and Romania, cultural and artistic activities, exhibitions, seminars, etc. and many important foreign affairs activities.
At the meeting, Romanian friends affirmed their deep and special feelings for Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh , including those who have visited Vietnam 16 times, even 50 times; affirmed that many Romanian people admire the just cause and heroism of Vietnam, the country that has defeated all invaders.
Noting that many Vietnamese products are now widely known in Romania, delegates believe that Vietnam will continue to develop strongly and become a new "tiger" or "lion" in the Asian economy , entering the group of the world's top 20 economies, successfully modernizing while still preserving and promoting its identity, and Romania can refer to Vietnam's experiences.
Informing about the vibrant, practical and specific activities of friendship associations with Vietnam, the delegates expressed their joy at the achievements in the bilateral relationship, while at the same time stating that these achievements are still not commensurate with the potential and strengths of cooperation between the two countries; and proposed a number of measures to further promote bilateral cooperation.
Dr. Pavel Suian, retired politician and university professor, presented the Prime Minister with the book "Wonderful Vietnam" written by him after a long research process with many valuable documents, deep understanding and sincere feelings for the country and people of Vietnam.
After the leaders of the ministries and branches gave an overview of the situation in Vietnam in recent times, speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was delighted and moved during his visit to the beautiful country of Romania, where he had many deeply attached memories, meeting representatives of associations, Romanian friends, close friends who have wholeheartedly and with pure friendship, constantly fostering solidarity and friendship between the two countries, understanding, sharing and attachment between the two peoples.
The Prime Minister took a souvenir photo when receiving representatives of the Romania-Vietnam Friendship Association and Romanian-Vietnam friendship associations and friends.
According to the Prime Minister, over the past 75 years, generations of Vietnamese and Romanian people have continuously built and nurtured a good traditional friendship based on mutual understanding and trust, helping, supporting and sharing for mutual development.
Vietnam always remembers the sentiments and valuable support that Romania has given to Vietnam in the past struggle for independence and national reunification as well as in the current national construction and development. Romania has actively opposed the war of aggression in Vietnam; helped train more than 4,000 Vietnamese students and postgraduates. Recently, Romania was the first EU member country to support Covid-19 vaccines for Vietnam; played an important role in signing the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Before the Covid-19 pandemic, thousands of workers, many Vietnamese students and postgraduates were present in Romania.
However, the Prime Minister assessed that economic relations are still not commensurate with good political relations and high trust. High trust is a very important factor to promote economic relations between the two countries to a new level, to be more in-depth, substantial and effective. Both sides also want to strengthen economic cooperation and the economies of the two countries have many complementary strengths. The EVFTA and the Vietnam-EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) are also important factors, facilitating bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Therefore, it is important to promote the implementation of specific economic cooperation projects and proposals; overcome difficulties in geographical distance through digital transformation and e-commerce.
The Prime Minister said that the official visit to Romania by the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation this time aims to further strengthen the multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Romania, further tighten the traditional friendship between the two peoples; further promote the foundation and achievements in the nearly 75-year bilateral relationship, and at the same time add new momentum to the bilateral relationship.
*Next, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a very emotional visit and work trip to Bucharest University of Civil Engineering - one of Romania's leading universities, where the Prime Minister spent many years as a student.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks during his visit to Bucharest University of Civil Engineering.
The Bucharest University of Civil Engineering was founded in 1818 as the "School of Land Surveying" and in 1867 as the "School of Bridges, Roads and Mines"; it was merged into the Bucharest Institute of Civil Engineering in 1948; and then changed its current name in 1994. It is a long-standing higher education institution, specializing in civil engineering; it is the only university in Romania that focuses entirely on civil engineering education, with its strong training groups being civil engineering, environmental engineering, plant engineering, geodetic engineering and mechanical engineering, and is ranked as Highly Reliable. The university currently has more than 8,600 students with 7 faculties, 22 departments and 18 research centers.
This university has trained thousands of prestigious engineers and leading experts in the field of construction, contributing to the development of Romania and many countries around the world. Many high-ranking leaders of Romania such as former Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, former Foreign Minister Stefan Andrei… have studied here.
During the period 1970-1980, the school trained about 1,000 Vietnamese students, including Dr. Nguyen Manh Kiem (former Minister of Construction), Mr. Tran Van Huynh (former Deputy Minister of Construction)... From 2008 to present, there have been 5 international students including 1 PhD, 4 bachelors under the scholarship agreement between the two governments. Thuy Loi University (Vietnam) - Liège University (Belgium) - Bucharest University of Civil Engineering signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in research and teaching of civil engineering.
Here, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the hydraulic laboratory, visited the international student dormitory; wrote in the guestbook and received a commemorative certificate (a copy of the Prime Minister's thesis, transcript, etc. while studying) from the school's leaders.
In his speech to the school leadership, teachers, students and delegates, spending most of his speech talking about the relationship between the two countries, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Romania was one of the first 10 countries in the world to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam (February 3, 1950); was one of the first countries to support Vietnam in the struggle for national liberation and helped Vietnam build and develop its economy.
Beloved President Ho Chi Minh, National Hero, World Cultural Celebrity, officially visited Romania from August 17-21, 1957 on the occasion of visiting socialist countries to thank Romania and Central Eastern European countries for their solidarity and assistance to Vietnam during the 9-year resistance war against French colonialism and achieving victory.
"The most impressive impression is that President Ho Chi Minh was warmly and sincerely welcomed by the Party, State and people of Romania. His car passed through the Victory Gate. He spoke to the people of Bucharest at the packed national stadium. Former Romanian President Ion Iliesscu (still alive), then Secretary of the Central Committee of the Romanian Youth Union, accompanied him throughout the visit. He visited the Gerontology Institute, the Children's Palace, the "December 30" Collective Farm, the "August 23" Mechanical Factory, Oil Refinery No. 1, the Museum, Peles Castle, the Tractor Factory, Obor Market, the stadium...; invited the leaders to dinner at the Pescarus restaurant on the lakeside in Herastrau Park, Bucharest, which is still in operation today," the Prime Minister emotionally recalled Uncle Ho's historic visit.
The Prime Minister received a commemorative certificate (a copy of his thesis, transcript, etc. while studying) from the school's leaders.
The Prime Minister stated that Romania enthusiastically supported Vietnam during the war. The strong anti-Vietnam War marches and demonstrations in Romania, socialist countries, and progressive forces around the world contributed to Vietnam's historic victory.
Vietnam highly appreciates the support and assistance in terms of facilities, technology, and human resource training for Vietnam; in which Romania has helped Vietnam build the Hai Phong Cement Factory, Lao Cai Apatite Mine, and several coal mines in Quang Ninh; and provided many industrial, agricultural, and defense equipment, etc.
After Romania changed its political regime (December 1989), the two countries continued their traditional friendly relations based on the principles of respect for independence, sovereignty, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality, and mutual benefit.
The two sides regularly exchange high-level delegations; especially when Romania held the role of rotating EU Presidency in 2019, it greatly supported and promoted Vietnam and the EU to complete negotiations and sign the EVFTA and EVIPA on June 30, 2019. The EVFTA was approved by the European Council on March 30, 2020; the EVIPA is continuing to be ratified by the Parliaments of all EU member states. Romania is one of the first countries to ratify both agreements. This is an important prerequisite to contribute to promoting economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Romania in particular and the EU in general in recent times, the Prime Minister assessed.
Regarding cooperation in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic, Romania donated 300,000 doses of vaccine to Vietnam in August 2021, right at the time when the epidemic in Vietnam was at its peak. Romania became the first EU member state to donate vaccines to Vietnam.
"Vietnam will never forget Romania's wholehearted support, assistance, and close cooperation in many fields over the past nearly 75 years," the Prime Minister affirmed.
In particular, regarding cooperation in the field of education and training - a highlight in the cooperative relationship between the two countries, the Prime Minister said that in the period of 1960-1989, Romania trained about 100-200 Vietnamese students annually. In 2003, the two sides signed an Education Cooperation Agreement, implemented from the 2004-2005 school year. In 2023, the two sides signed a Cooperation Program in the field of education and training for the period 2022-2026. The number of students studying under the Agreement from 2004-2023 is 139 people, including 31 PhDs, 32 Masters, 76 universities...
Up to now, Romania has trained about 4,000 Vietnamese students and postgraduates, many of whom have become leading scientists, professors, and doctors in various fields, and many leaders are Ministers, Deputy Ministers, etc. The Prime Minister sincerely thanks and hopes that Romania will continue to pay attention and grant more scholarships to Vietnamese students and postgraduates.
Prime Minister visits the School's laboratory
School leaders and students were delighted to welcome former student Pham Minh Chinh who graduated with honors in 1984.
The school leaders also highly appreciated the leadership capacity, vision and key concerns of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in the direction and administration of the Vietnamese Government and his contribution to solving common problems of the world; believing that the Prime Minister's visit to Romania this time will be very successful.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his emotion many times when returning to visit the beloved school where he had been attached for many years - the place that equipped him with life lessons that, for the Prime Minister personally, still hold true value today.
He expressed his deep gratitude to generations of teachers who have devoted themselves to teaching, imparting knowledge and noble values to students; at the same time, he thanked his friends who have accompanied and supported him with special ties; and cherished the beautiful and unforgettable memories during his time training, studying and researching here.
The Prime Minister also expressed his pride in witnessing the strong development in terms of facilities, modern training models, innovation in teaching and research, and the achievements of the school over the past years; wishing and believing that the school will achieve even greater results.
"Everything is changing, only the feelings between people remain unchanged and are growing," the Prime Minister emotionally spoke and said that every time he comes to Romania, he returns to visit the school, no matter how short or long the time.
As an alumnus, the Prime Minister congratulates all students who have been, are and will be members of this school, with their passion and efforts contributing to the development of the construction industry and of Romania.
"We are always proud to be students of the Bucharest University of Civil Engineering and together we will contribute to the further blossoming and fruitfulness of the Vietnam-Romania friendship and cooperation. To me, the Bucharest University of Civil Engineering is a part of my life," said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister affirmed that no matter what position he holds, he will always wholeheartedly join hands to foster the relationship between the two countries towards the goal of peace, prosperity and sustainable development.
The Prime Minister hopes and believes that, with the visits of the two countries' senior leaders, the traditional friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries will become increasingly deeper, more substantial and more effective, for the benefit of the two nations and peoples, for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
"As the Romanian proverb goes 'Orice sa fie nou, dar prierenul vechi', everything may pass but friendship always remains," the Prime Minister said emotionally.
TUNG QUANG; photo: NHAT BAC
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