Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân (fifth from left) presents the first-class Labour Order to the Việt Nam-Russia Tropical Centre in a ceremony held Tuesday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam-Russia Tropical Centre under the Ministry of National Defence held a ceremony in Hà Nội on Saturday to celebrate its 35th traditional day (March 7).

Prof. Dr. Kucherenko Petr Aleksandrovich, Russian Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education, co-Chairman of the Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee for the Việt Nam - Russia Tropical Centre, and head of the Russian sub-committee, said that the centre had developed continuously over the last 35 years.

Its operations wre currently focusing on the areas important to both countries, especially climatic testing of materials and technical components, studying the biodiversity of tropical ecosystems, studying the settlement of chemical warfare consequences, and studying tropical infectious diseases originating from the wild.

The centre also attached importance to training high-quality personnel (both Vietnamese and Russian) and training experts of the Việt Nam People’s Army (VPA) in the Russian language, he said, noting that it was entering a new development period that would enable it to make major breakthroughs and not only receive but also apply new scientific knowledge to serve security and defence in the two countries.

At the ceremony, the centre was granted the first-class Labour Order in recognition of its prominent achievements during 2017-2021.

Vice State President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân praised the centre’s enormous efforts and achievements over the last 35 years.

She said the new context required the centre to continue reforming strongly and improving the quality and effectiveness of its performance, especially the research, application, and transfer of science and technology, to fulfil duties.

Xuân expressed her belief that by bringing into play the VPA’s glorious tradition, with attention from leaders from the two countries and support from relevant agencies, the centre would see even more achievements and become the leading science and technology organisation of the VPA and Việt Nam.

This would allow it to contribute to building the VPA as well as the Việt Nam - Russia friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership, for the sake of the two peoples and for peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. — VNS