Ngô Phương Ly, spouse of Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm, enjoyed a traditional Chinese theatre performance by children at the Soong Ching Ling Science and Culture Centre for Young People. — VNA/VNS Photo

BEIJING — Ngô Phương Ly, spouse of Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm, visited the Soong Ching Ling Science and Culture Centre for Young People in Beijing on Tuesday as part of the state visit to China.

The centre, one of four under the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, is named after Soong Ching Ling (1893–1981), the wife of Sun Yat-sen.

During the visit, Ly was briefed on the foundation’s activities and toured learning spaces and training classes covering Peking Opera, papermaking, ceramics, handicrafts and traditional medicine, and also experienced making a herbal sachet.

She expressed her appreciation for the centre, describing Soong Ching Ling as an eminent figure who dedicated her life to revolution, peace, international friendship and the well-being of children.

Ngô Phương Ly, spouse of Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm, with a student at the Soong Ching Ling Science and Culture Centre for Young People. — VNA/VNS Photo

Ly noted that the centre embodies a human-centred approach to development, placing children at its core and promoting experiential learning that integrates theory with practice. She stressed that education should nurture not only professional competence but also the sense of responsibility and compassion.

Highlighting Việt Nam's long-standing focus on child-centred development, she cited the teachings of President Hồ Chí Minh on the importance of caring for and educating young generations.

She also underscored that both Việt Nam and China prioritise child protection, care and education, noting that Việt Nam was the first country in Asia and the second globally to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Amid rapid advances in fields such as artificial intelligence, space science, and biotechnology, Ly reaffirmed that people remain at the centre of development, calling for stronger efforts to nurture creativity, problem-solving skills and compassion among children, alongside promoting cultural exchange in an increasingly interconnected world. — VNA/VNS