HÀ NỘI – President Trần Đại Quang has praised the Việt Nam-Russia Tropical Centre for its contributions to promoting scientific research and socio-economic development, and ensuring defence-security in each country, thus strengthening the traditional friendship and strategic cooperation between the two nations. 
Addressing a ceremony celebrating the 30th anniversary of the centre’s founding in Hà Nội yesterday, President Quang said the centre has upheld its role as a multi-sectoral tropical science and technology research establishment in Việt Nam and Russia. 
The centre has always coordinated closely with organisations and scientific research institutes of Vietnam, Russia and other countries in the world in the fields of research, application, training and science-technology transfer, he said. 
He also stressed the need for the centre to promote the application of research results along with developing a number of products with high-level scientific and technological inputs and enhancing cooperation in researching and modernising infrastructure and technology. 
President Quang also hoped that the centre will receive more support and better cooperation from the State, ministries, sectors and relevant agencies of Russia, thus helping it notch greater achievements in the coming time for the sake of the people of both countries. 
On this occasion, President Quang presented a third-class Military Exploit Order to the centre and a Friendship Order to Andrey Kuznetsov, general director of the centre. 
Founded on March 7, 1988 under an agreement between Việt Nam’s Ministry of National Defence and the Russian Academy of Sciences, the centre works to study biology, medicine, environmental pollution and the treatment of dioxin effects in Việt Nam. 
It is operating in three main fields: tropical endurance, tropical ecology and tropical biomedicine. It also works on the application and transfer of technology, provides scientific-technological services and train scientists. 
The centre is also in charge of coordinating collaboration among research organisations of Việt Nam and Russia. More than 4,000 Russian scientists, including many leading experts, have worked at the centre. Coordination between the centre and its partners from the Republic of Korea, Canada and Japan has proven effective. — VNS