Attending the opening ceremony on the Vietnamese side were: President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van; Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Dong Huy Cuong; along with experts, scholars, research institutes, universities, and friendship personalities in various fields including politics, national defense, economy, education, science, and technology; and lecturers and students from several universities in Hanoi.
On the Chinese side were: Chinese Ambassador to Viet Nam He Wei; Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Sun Xueqing; experts, scholars from research institutes and universities, and friendship personalities in the fields of politics, national defense, economy, education, science, and technology; the delegation of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; staff of the Chinese Embassy in Viet Nam; Chinese teachers and students currently studying in Hanoi; and representatives of Chinese enterprises in Viet Nam.
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| Delegates attend the 13th Viet Nam-China People’s Forum. (Photo: Dinh Hoa) |
Consolidating Trust and Nurturing Viet Nam-China People-to-People Foundation
Delivering the opening remarks, President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son stated that the Viet Nam-China People’s Forum is an important mechanism for people-to-people exchange aimed at promoting interactions and cooperation, thereby enhancing mutual understanding and political trust and consolidating a solid social foundation - an effort highly valued by the leaders of both countries. The 13th Forum is even more meaningful as the year 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and 15 years since the establishment of the Forum mechanism.
President Phan Anh Son expressed gratitude to Chinese friendship organizations and personalities for their significant contributions to bilateral relations through the people-to-people channel - a channel of great importance, as General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized: “The foundation of Viet Nam-China friendship lies with the people.”
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| President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son delivers the opening remarks at the 13th Viet Nam-China People’s Forum. (Photo: Dinh Hoa) |
President Phan Anh Son emphasized that the world is currently undergoing fundamental and epochal changes. In this context, the Viet Nam-China friendship holds even greater significance, not only in fostering closer bonds between the peoples of the two countries but also in contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world.
He proposed that, in the time ahead, both sides continue to strengthen, promote, and organize forums, dialogues, and exchanges similar to the Viet Nam-China People’s Forum, both through the people-to-people channel and other channels, to advance two key goals that the leaders of the Party and State of China and the Party and State of Viet Nam expect: enhancing political trust and promoting and consolidating the foundation of Viet Nam-China people-to-people relations.
According to Phan Anh Son, the 13th Viet Nam-China People’s Forum revolves around four thematic groups: 75 years of Viet Nam-China friendship; national governance models and perspectives; economic-trade-investment cooperation; and cooperation in education, science, and technology. He expressed confidence that the Forum would attract substantial presentations and insights from experts and scholars of both countries, thereby promoting mutually beneficial cooperation and making practical contributions to Viet Nam-China relations in the new period.
Sun Xueqing, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, reviewed the 15-year formation and development of the Forum - an institution he described as a “faithful envoy, connecting the hearts and minds of the people, fostering mutual trust, and building shared understanding.” He presented several proposals for this year’s Forum, including:
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| Sun Xueqing, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, speaks at the 13th Viet Nam-China People’s Forum. (Photo: Dinh Hoa) |
Strengthening strategic trust and firmly steering the ‘rudder’ that guides the building of a China-Viet Nam Community with a shared future. Unity of purpose and shared aspirations for the future are the most distinctive characteristics of bilateral relations. China has always regarded Viet Nam as a priority direction in its neighborhood diplomacy. Viet Nam, for its part, identifies the development of relations with China as a strategic choice and a top priority.
Inheriting and promoting the traditional China-Viet Nam friendship, and deepening mutual trust by strengthening strategic dialogue, thereby consolidating the foundation of relations. Based on the principles of equality and mutual respect, a firm political consensus will guide the China-Viet Nam Community with a shared future forward in a steady and enduring manner.
Promoting strategic cooperation and sustaining the momentum for building a China-Viet Nam Community with a shared future. China has long been Viet Nam’s largest trading partner, while Viet Nam is China’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and its fourth largest globally. China’s 15th Five-Year Plan will open up significant development opportunities for bilateral cooperation. He proposed that the Forum focus discussions on areas such as the digital economy, green development, and cross-border industrial cooperation, with a view to advancing the alignment of the “Belt and road” initiative with the “Two corridors, one economic belt” strategy to create a solid material foundation.
Nurturing the humanistic foundation and strengthening the ‘cohesive force’ for building a China-Viet Nam Community with a shared future. This year also marks the China-Viet Nam People-to-People Exchange Year. Last month, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations successfully organized the inaugural activity of the “Red Journey” program for Vietnamese youth in Chongqing. Young people from both countries followed in the footsteps of earlier generations of leaders, explored the “red genetic code” within China-Viet Nam friendship, and became vivid symbols of the close bonds between the two peoples and the inheritance of the two nations’ long-standing friendship.
Promoting the common values of humanity-peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom, jointly advancing key global initiatives at the people-to-people level, and contributing wisdom and vision to foster a favorable external environment for building the China-Viet Nam Community with a shared future, while maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.
Seizing Opportunities, Expanding Cooperation and Future Vision
Ambassador He Wei noted that 2025 is a special year in bilateral relations, marked by the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 100th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s arrival in China for revolutionary activities.
Emphasizing that the 13th Viet Nam-China People’s Forum is one of the most important people-to-people diplomacy events between the two countries, Ambassador He Wei suggested that the Forum should continue to play its role in the following areas:
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| Chinese Ambassador to Viet Nam He Wei speaks at the Forum. (Photo: Dinh Hoa) |
Maintaining the original aspirations, building consensus, and rallying more friendship personalities to join the historic effort of advancing China-Viet Nam friendship.
Seizing opportunities and promoting mutual benefit by leveraging the Forum’s activities to explore more new areas of cooperation, continuously expanding both the depth and breadth of substantive cooperation, and enhancing cooperation effectiveness across all sectors.
Planning a forward-looking vision and seizing the momentum for progress. Guided by the important strategic orientations of the top leaders of the two Parties and States regarding the future development of bilateral relations, the Forum should offer insights and recommendations for the overall planning and future direction of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries in the next phase.
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| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van speaks at the 13th Viet Nam-China People’s Forum. (Photo: Dinh Hoa) |
Delivering remarks at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van stated that this year’s Forum theme clearly reflects the strategic vision and spirit of the top leaders of the two Parties. He affirmed that relations between the two Parties and the two countries can only be sustainable when nurtured by the sincere sentiments and close bonds between the peoples of both nations, underscoring the two countries’ resolve to make people-to-people exchanges and cooperation a solid pillar of bilateral relations.
He highly appreciated the efforts of the people-to-people friendship organizations of both countries in jointly organizing numerous meaningful exchange activities in recent years, such as the People’s Friendship Festival and the Border People’s Festival. Notably, through 12 editions, the Viet Nam-China People’s Forum has become an important channel for the two sides to engage in open, candid, and sincere discussions on bilateral relations, including thoughts on existing, sensitive, and complex issues, while putting forward recommendations to enhance mutual understanding and foster friendship between the two peoples.
According to Deputy Minister Ngo Le Van, this year’s Forum offers an opportunity for experts, scholars, and friendship figures from both sides to revisit the profound and enduring friendship that has bonded the two countries throughout their shared history; and at the same time look toward the future by delving into contemporary issues, sharing experiences on each Party’s and each country’s development, and proposing solutions to further deepen bilateral relations in the new context, especially measures to strengthen trust, friendship, and cooperation between the peoples of both countries.
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| Delegates at the 13th Viet Nam-China People’s Forum pose for a commemorative photo. (Photo: Dinh Hoa) |
He expressed his hope that the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries would continue organizing exchange activities, including the Viet Nam-China People’s Forum mechanism, and intensify positive communication efforts on Viet Nam-China friendship, thereby creating a favorable atmosphere and a strong social foundation for bilateral relations. He believed that the 13th Forum would put forward many new ideas and initiatives, making practical contributions to strengthening the people-to-people foundation, further deepening the Viet Nam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, and promoting the building of a Viet Nam-China Community with a shared future of strategic significance.
Source: Vietnamtimes
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