The Vietnam News Agency delegation holds a working session with the St. Petersburg Committee for External Relations to expand cooperation in external communications. VNA/VNS Photo

MOSCOW — A delegation of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), led by its General Director Vũ Việt Trang, visited St. Petersburg on Wednesday (local time) and held a working session with the city Committee for External Relations of Russia to expand cooperation in external communications.

At the working session with Evgeny Grigoriev, Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg, Trang, who is also Vice Chairwoman of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Publicity, stressed the importance of translating into concrete actions the outcomes reached at previous meetings between the two sides.

The two sides agreed to establish a cooperation framework for exchanging external information and supporting cooperation programmes between Việt Nam and Russia. Accordingly, VNA will provide the committee with daily updates through its official information portals. The two sides also pledged to closely coordinate in preventing and addressing misinformation, and consult each other on the organisation of and participation in forums and other events of mutual interest.

The agreement will facilitate VNA reporters’ comprehensive coverage of Việt Nam-Russia cooperation activities in St. Petersburg, as well as cooperation between the Russian city and five Vietnamese provinces and cities, with the number expected to increase in the future.

The Vietnam News Agency and St. Petersburg Committee for Foreign Affair reach a cooperation agreement. — VNA/VNS Photo

St. Petersburg has a rich history and culture and extensive external relations with international partners. Việt Nam has been identified by the city administration as one of the priorities in its external relations, Trang said, noting that this provides considerable room for further cooperation.

VNA and the St. Petersburg administration consented to strengthen information exchanges, particularly in Russian, and share and publish information on their respective websites and platforms about Việt Nam-Russia relations and the city’s external affairs.

The VNA General Director expressed her belief that the new step in cooperation will make a direct contribution to preserving and nurturing the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, bringing practical benefits to their peoples.

For his part, Grigoriev stressed that the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Việt Nam have stood the test of time and remained strong despite challenges, preserving the invaluable heritage of the two peoples.

Expanding and deepening bilateral ties is a long-term strategic choice and a foreign policy priority of both Russia and Việt Nam, particularly following visits by their top leaders, he said.

Noting the large number and high quality of joint events held annually in St. Petersburg, Grigoriev said the Vietnamese community in Russia’s second-largest city was officially recognised last year, while Vietnamese studies are becoming increasingly popular and expanding at leading universities in the city and the country, including Herzen State Pedagogical University, St. Petersburg State University and the Higher School of Economics.

Against this backdrop, he said, expanding humanitarian ties and maintaining and developing relations among the editorial boards of leading media organisations, professional journalists’ associations, archives, friendship associations and other social organisations will meet public demand.

The committee’s leadership welcomed the official establishment of a partnership with VNA, considering it a significant milestone in bilateral relations and a demonstration of joint efforts to contribute practically to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Vietnam.

Earlier the same day, the VNA delegation visited the Russia-Việt Nam Cultural Centre at Herzen State Pedagogical University in St. Petersburg.

Tatyana Ryboretskaya, the university’s Vice Rector for International Cooperation, said Việt Nam is a traditional partner of Herzen University. The university currently has 13 Vietnamese students, with another 25 expected to enroll next year.

The university places strong emphasis on Vietnamese-language teaching. Currently, 120 students at its Institute of Oriental Studies are studying Vietnamese language, history and culture.

Building on the university’s achievements and positive contributions to Russia-Việt Nam cooperation, the Russia-Việt Nam Cultural Centre was inaugurated there last year, which has become a genuine space for exchanges between the two rich cultures, she said.

Drawing on its extensive cooperation experience, the university will continue expanding friendship with Việt Nam through joint educational and publishing projects, Ryboretskaya continued. 

She also put forward specific proposals in this direction and expressed hope for VNA’s support in information, promotion and educational activities.

Trang highlighted the strong potential for developing people-to-people diplomacy as well as scientific, educational and cultural cooperation, and promoting Vietnamese culture and language among Russians both inside and outside the university.

She affirmed that VNA will always accompany and provide information support for activities at the centre.

On the occasion, Trang presented the centre with a number of valuable books published by VNA, providing Russian readers interested in Vietnam with rich materials on the country and its people.

At the meeting, the two sides also exchanged views on future cooperation. — VNA/VNS