Youth delegates visit a historical site in Shanghai. — Photos courtesy of organisers

SHANGHAI — About 100 outstanding Vietnamese young people took part in the Red Study Tour in Shanghai and Fujian provinces, China, from July 4 to 11, as part of efforts to strengthen people-to-people exchanges between Việt Nam and China.

The delegates came from a wide range of sectors, including transport, telecommunications, science and technology, logistics, tourism and media, and are employed by both Vietnamese and Chinese enterprises.

The Red Study Tour initiative was announced by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit to Việt Nam in April 2025, with the aspiration that younger generations of the two countries will carry forward their traditional friendship.

The programme aims to build a bridge of friendship by helping young people from Việt Nam and China deepen mutual understanding, strengthen people-to-people ties and learn from one another.

During their stay in Shanghai and Fujian, the delegates visited revolutionary heritage sites to learn about the historical foundations of the friendship between the two countries.

They also attended a lecture entitled Hồ Chí Minh in China, gaining deeper insight into the shared revolutionary history and close cooperation between earlier generations of Chinese and Vietnamese revolutionaries.

Youth delegates experience technology during their visit to a technology company in Shanghai.

The programme also included visits to enterprises, research institutes and innovation parks, where participants observed China's advances in industrial innovation, urban development and technological modernisation, while gaining a better understanding of the country's efforts to preserve its cultural heritage alongside economic growth.

An exchange session on studying and implementing the spirit of the important speeches by General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm was held at Fuzhou University in Fujian Province on Friday.

Addressing the event, Dong Xia, head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) Central Committee, said that over the past year, the organisation had invited about 1,600 Vietnamese youth representatives to China under the Red Study Tour programme for exchanges, study visits and research.

She expressed hope that young people from both countries would carry forward the expectations of the two Party leaders and contribute to building a China-Việt Nam community with a shared future, while promoting peace and development.

Youth union members of the Việt Nam Posts and Telecommunications Group at Fuzhou University.

Nguyễn Quang Long, secretary of the Youth Union of the Việt Nam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), said young people from the two countries should further expand cooperation in areas where they have particular strengths, including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, innovation, entrepreneurship, green development, environmental protection, cultural exchanges and the training of high-quality human resources.

He also expressed hope that youth organisations of both countries would launch more exchange, research, volunteer and practical cooperation programmes, enabling more young people to learn from one another, work together and build lasting friendships and long-term partnerships.

Vũ Ngọc Ánh, who works at the Việt Nam representative office of China Habour Engineering Company, said the friendship between Việt Nam and China is nurtured through everyday interactions.

"Many people believe that making a meaningful contribution to Việt Nam–China friendship requires doing something extraordinary. However, through my own experiences and observations, I have come to realise that this friendship is actually built through daily life," she said.

She cited Vietnamese-Chinese families preserving both languages and cultures, students participating in the Chinese Bridge competition or studying in China, and cultural exchange activities organised within companies as examples of practical efforts that deepen mutual understanding and trust.

For Nguyễn Văn Liêm, an officer at the Railway Transport Joint Stock Company, the programme provided valuable opportunities to better understand China's history and socio-economic development.

"Visiting historical sites, factories, enterprises and research centres allowed me to learn a great deal. I was particularly impressed by China's modernisation, which has achieved rapid economic development while preserving its rich cultural and historical heritage," he told Việt Nam News.

Nguyễn Văn Liêm (right) at an exchange session on studying and implementing the spirit of the important speeches by Việt Nam and China's top leaders.

Liêm added that the study tour had also helped him improve his Chinese-language communication skills and build friendships with young people from both countries.

Nguyễn Tiến Dũng (middle) was impressed by China's modern transport infrastructure.

Nguyễn Tiến Dũng, an officer at the Railway Project Management Board under the Ministry of Construction, said he was particularly impressed by China's modern transport infrastructure, his visit to Zhenhua Heavy Industries in Shanghai and the Hualong One nuclear reactor project in Fujian.

"From the perspective of someone working in the industry, I saw an outstanding project management system, rigorous compliance with demanding technical standards and a remarkable long-term strategic vision," he said.

"The experience has inspired me to strive for greater professionalism, consistency and higher standards so that I can contribute to the development of Việt Nam's major infrastructure projects and key transport networks, especially railway projects." — VNS