Russian Scholar Discusses Her Love for Vietnam
	People-to-people Exchanges Strengthen Vietnam - Russia Friendship

Long-standing relationship

Nguyen Dang Phat, vice president and general secretary of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association, assessed Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit as important. He expected that the relationship between the two countries would have new developments in all fields.

Reviewing the progress of Vietnam-Russia relations with the previous foundation of Vietnam-Soviet relations, Nguyen Dang Phat said that previously, the Soviet Union helped Vietnam a lot.

Nguyen Dang Phat, vice president and general secretary of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association

At that time, when our country did not have many opportunities to send people to study abroad, the Soviet Union accepted Vietnamese students.

The Soviet Union helped Vietnam train nearly 40 thousand officials and experts in many specialties. Many people return home to hold important positions in fields such as politics, defense, economics, and technology.

Vice President of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association said that the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia is much different from the relationship between Vietnam and other countries.

Defense and security cooperation is considered a pillar in Vietnam-Russia relations. On January 30, 2021, Vietnam and Russia issued a Joint Statement on the Vision of the Strategic Partnership to 2030.

Chairman of the United Russia Party Dmitry Medvedev met with the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association on a visit in May 2023. Photo: VUFO

"This is the 5th time President Putin visited Vietnam. Vietnam is also the only Southeast Asian country visited six times by Russian Presidents. The fact that the President chose to visit Vietnam in the first months of his term shows his respect and political trust for the relationship between the two countries," Phat said.

The visit took place on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the treaty on the basic principles of Vietnam-Russia Friendship.

Phat said that this is an opportunity for the leaders of the two countries and ministries to meet and discuss directions and work towards cooperative agreements. The President is one of the people who laid the foundation for Russia-Vietnam relations, and is a friend of Vietnam.

Phat expected that in the new term of President Putin, relations between the two countries will continue to have good prospects.

Solid foundation

President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Phan Anh Son reviewed some important milestones in the relationship between the two countries. In January 1950, the Soviet Union was one of the first countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

On December 25, 1991, the Soviet Union disintegrated. Immediately afterward, on December 27, 1991, Vietnam announced its recognition of the Russian Federation. On June 16, 1994, exactly 30 years ago, the two countries signed the Treaty on the basic principles of friendly relations between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Russian Federation. This year is the 30th anniversary of that important event.

President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Phan Anh Son. Photo: VNN

On June 30, 2023, the city of St. Petersburg, Russia inaugurated a monument to President Ho Chi Minh in the central square on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's first arrival in Petrograd (present-day St. Petersburg).

"The relationship between the two countries has been tested over time and has been diligently cultivated by many generations and people, and is constantly being strengthened," said President Phan Anh Son.

Over the past 70 years, the two countries have achieved many results in cooperation from politics, foreign affairs, defense, security, economics, trade, and investment to science and technology, education, and especially people-to-people exchanges.

"Looking back over the past five years, there have been many high-level delegation exchanges between the two countries. This is clear evidence of the development of Vietnam-Russia relations," Son said.

Regarding people-to-people exchange, VUFO President Phan Anh Son said that Vietnam and Russia coordinated to organize many commemorative activities on the occasion of National Day and anniversaries of the two countries, conferences, and book publishing.

Currently, there are about 20 pairs of relationships between localities of the two countries established, especially between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Thua Thien Hue, Ninh Binh, and Moscow, Saint-Petersburg.

President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations Phan Anh Son presented a painting of Hanoi to Russian Ambassador Gennady Bezdetko. Photo: VNN

Regarding education, in Hanoi, there is the Russian Center of Science and Culture, which annually provides Vietnam with about 1,000 scholarships.

The Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association signed an agreement with Herzen State Pedagogical University to strengthen cooperation in people-to-people exchanges and promote Russian culture and language in Vietnam, and Vietnamese language and culture in Russia.

"We determine that in the relationship between Vietnam and the Russian Federation, in addition to strengthening the relationship, we also need to deepen and expand relationships with other Russian partners," said Phan Anh Son.

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