Đỗ Văn Chiến, President of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee (right) and Grigoryev Evgeny Dmitrievich, a member of the Saint Petersburg city government, chairman of its Committee for External Relation at a meeting on Wednesday afternoon in Hà Nội.— VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The relationship between Việt Nam, the Russian Federation and the city of Saint Petersburg is an excellent one.

“More than ever, generations of Vietnamese people remain grateful to the Russian people for their kindness and to the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation for their wholehearted and meaningful support in Việt Nam’s struggle for national construction and defence,” said Đỗ Văn Chiến, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee.

Chiến made the remark in Hà Nội on Wednesday afternoon while hosting a delegation from Russia attending the first Việt Nam-Russia People’s Forum.

On behalf of the Party, State, Fatherland Front and people of Việt Nam, Chiến expressed his deep appreciation to the authorities and citizens of Saint Petersburg for their special affection towards Việt Nam, most notably symbolised by the inauguration of a statue of President Hồ Chí Minh in the city.

He also conveyed heartfelt thanks for the warm reception extended to the Vietnamese delegation in Russia, particularly during the visit of Party General Secretary Tô Lâm and his spouse Ngô Phương Ly to Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

The longstanding traditional friendship between Việt Nam and Russia has been and will continue to be consolidated, he stressed.

In July 2012, the two nations elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership — the highest level of diplomatic relations.

Pursuing a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and proactive and responsible international integration, Việt Nam attaches great importance to developing relations with Russia, including with Saint Petersburg, he noted.

At the meeting, Grigoryev Evgeny Dmitrievich, a member of the Saint Petersburg city government, chairman of its Committee for External Relations, and head of the Russian delegation to the first Việt Nam-Russia People’s Forum, said that Việt Nam is currently a priority in the city’s foreign affairs.

He emphasised the trustworthy and sincere cooperation with the Việt Nam Union of Friendship Organisations, affirming that the first Việt Nam-Russia People’s Forum is a meaningful initiative that advances bilateral relations on the basis of mutual trust.

The first Việt Nam-Russia People’s Forum was jointly organised on Tuesday and Wednesday by the Việt Nam Union of Friendship Organisations, the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations, the Việt Nam-Russia Friendship Association, the Russia-Việt Nam Friendship Association, and the Russian-Vietnamese Cooperation Development Fund “Tradition and Friendship.”

Chiến praised the Việt Nam Union of Friendship Organisations for working closely with Saint Petersburg partners to host the forum, describing it as a meaningful initiative that deepens mutual understanding and solidarity while opening new directions for people-to-people diplomacy. — VNS