National Assembly (NA) Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn presents Vietnamese language books for a student at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies. VNA/VNS Photos Doãn Tấn

TASHKENT — National Assembly (NA) Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn and his spouse Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nga on Monday visited the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies (TSUOS), where they met with local lecturers and students studying the Vietnamese language, as part of their official trip to Uzbekistan.

As one of Uzbekistan’s most prestigious and long-established universities, the institute has extensive international cooperation programmes with academic institutions and research centres worldwide, including Việt Nam. Notably, it runs a Vietnamese language faculty.

In his conversation with the faculty’s lecturers and students, the Vietnamese NA leader stressed that despite their geographical distance, the two countries share many cultural and historical similarities.

Highlighting the role of languages as a crucial bridge connecting people and nations, Mẫn noted that learning Vietnamese not only provides students with linguistic proficiency but also offers them insights into the vibrant culture of a nation with over 100 million people, known for its resilience, creativity, hospitality, and generosity. More importantly, the learners are contributing to strengthening the friendship between Uzbekistan and Việt Nam, he said.

The top legislator expressed his hope that after graduation, many of them would become diplomats, entrepreneurs, teachers, interpreters, or researchers on Việt Nam, serving as a vital link in fostering cooperation between the two countries.

Na Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn and Vietnamese delegation work with leaders of the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.

He also hoped that in the future, more students would have the opportunity to visit Việt Nam for further study, work, and first-hand experiences of the Southeast Asian country’s dynamic development and rich culture.

Expressing delight at the TSUOS's signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with the Việt Nam National University, Hà Nội in 2011 as well as their joint cultural and linguistic research programmes so far, Mẫn affirmed his belief that the two nations’ cooperation will continue to deepen toward a future of peace, sustainability, and prosperity.

Earlier, the NA leader held discussions with the university’s leaders, encouraging closer collaboration with major Vietnamese universities. He also called for joint projects by lecturers and students, the stronger integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) in education, and the participation of Uzbekistani scholars in the upcoming 7th Việt Nam studies seminar this year.

Also on the day, the NA leader, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese parliamentary delegation laid a floral tribute at the Independence Monument in Tashkent. — VNS