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On the occasion of Russian President Vladimir Putin's state visit to Vietnam from June 19 to June 20, 2024, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi did an interview with the press.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi.

What aspects of people-to-people exchanges should be prioritized to strengthen Vietnam-Russia relations?

The special affection shared by the people of Vietnam, the former Soviet Union, and Russia today has become a symbol of international solidarity and friendship.

Over numerous generations, we have experienced not only challenges and difficulties but also moments of glory and happiness, all rooted in our two peoples' deep affection. Vietnamese people always remember and are grateful for the priceless and heartfelt support provided by the people of the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation through both the resistance war and national construction.

Promoting people-to-people exchanges is critical for strengthening the Vietnam-Russia friendship. People-to-people exchange activities not only help maintain and strengthen warm ties but also provide new opportunities for people from both countries to better understand and bond with each other.

First, it is vital to foster cultural exchange and exchange programs. Exchange activities between generations, particularly the younger generations of the two countries, should be organized more regularly and on a larger scale, allowing people from both countries to meet, exchange, and learn, thereby promoting mutual understanding, raising awareness of the significance of the Vietnam-Russia relations, and contributing strengthen the ties between the two countries and peoples.

Vietnam - Russia Cultural Exchange Festival organized by the Danang Union of Friendship Organizations in November 2023. (Photo: DAFO)

In terms of education and training, the Soviet Union formerly assisted Vietnam in training almost 40,000 qualified officials and specialists in a wide range of areas. Currently, Russia continues to support Vietnam in human resource development. Since 2019, Russia has increased the amount of scholarships for Vietnam to approximately 1,000 per year. There are now around 5,000 Vietnamese students studying in Russia.

Furthermore, arranging people-to-people exchange activities through seminars, conferences, and social cooperation programs is important. These activities will provide opportunities for people from both countries to connect, share ideas, and collaborate in a variety of fields, thereby strengthening Vietnam and Russia's traditional relations. In addition, I believe that technology and social networks can be used to encourage people-to-people interactions. Creating virtual spaces for people in both nations to communicate, share, and learn from each other will provide new chances for interaction and cooperation.

We need to continue to cultivate and build special ties with all of our passion and efforts. With the attention and unity of all levels and sectors of the two countries, I believe that the friendship between the peoples of Vietnam and Russia will grow stronger, becoming a solid foundation for developing the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Russia to new heights.

What should be done to foster cooperation in fields such as education-training, and science-technology?

To develop science and technology cooperation, the two sides need to concentrate on implementing joint research cooperation programs and projects in areas where Russia has strengths and Vietnam has needs, such as science and technology, energy technology, space technology, responsible use of environmental resources, basic research, Fintech, artificial intelligence, and biomedical field. The two countries need to create policies and assign suitable financial resources to invest in joint research collaboration programs and projects, while also increasing delegation exchange, scientific staff exchange, and network collaboration among research and training institutions from both countries.

Vietnam - Russia Cultural Exchange Festival organized by the Danang Union of Friendship Organizations in November 2023. (Photo: DAFO)

To improve the effectiveness of cooperation in education and training, the two countries are urgently completing the legal basis and will soon sign a new Agreement on educational cooperation to replace the signed Agreement in 2005; the Agreement on the establishment and operation of the Pushkin Center; and extending the Agreement on training Vietnamese citizens in Russia until 2030. Under the Agreement, we need to focus on sending students to train in technical and scientific fields, applied science, and financial technology, and cooperate with relevant ministries to increase the number of scholarships for medical majors and training majors in culture and arts.

Every year, the Russian government grants 1,000 scholarships for Vietnamese people to study in Russia. To attract more Vietnamese students to study in Russia, it is vital to raise awareness about Russian education and universities in Vietnamese communities, expand enrollment to increase admission opportunities and provide scholarships for Vietnamese students across the nation.

On the Russian side, a policy should be implemented that allows Vietnamese students to have job opportunities in Russia right after graduation, providing for the shortage of high-quality human resources in particular and labor shortage in general. I hope that, based on the foundation of good relations between the two countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming official visit to Vietnam will provide new momentum for the two nations to cooperate more closely and effectively toward a better future.

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