Sen. Lt. General Hoàng Xuân Chiến (L), member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Minister of National Defence of Việt Nam, and Konstantin Mogilevsky, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education exchange the minute of the meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo

MOSCOW — The 35th meeting of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre (VRTC) Coordinating Committee was held on November 15 in St. Petersburg, Russia, co-chaired by General Hoàng Xuân Chiến, member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Minister of National Defence of Việt Nam, and Konstantin Mogilevsky, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education.

At the meeting, both sides praised the achievements of the VRTC in 2024, particularly its scientific and technological activities and its efforts to build up the centre’s capabilities.

Chiến highlighted the various Russian government agencies that have supported research initiatives and promoted technology transfer in the VRTC framework. He noted specific advancements, such as the delivery of a second mobile testing vehicle, the cooperation in building a Level 3 biosafety laboratory, and training programmes for Vietnamese personnel.

He also reiterated the joint statements by the heads of state of both nations, emphasising their desire to further strengthen cooperation, with the aim of developing the centre into a model of bilateral cooperation that is on par with regional and international standards.

Mogilevsky stressed the growing importance of the centre in the fields of science and technology, noting that the two countries had successfully carried out meaningful scientific and practical tasks over the past year. These activities serve vital purposes in military, defence, economic development, and environmental protection. He also highlighted the consensus reached on the scientific research, technology, and application programme for the centre for the 2025-29 period.

Both sides agreed to boost efforts in 2025 to implement actions outlined in the VRTC Development Strategy for the period up to 2035. This includes further investment in infrastructure and human resources.

Additionally, they agreed to complete the documentation and present it to the governments of both countries for the signing of an agreement on transferring ownership of the research vessel "Professor Gagarinsky" to Việt Nam by June 30, 2025. Furthermore, work will continue on equipping the laboratory with additional facilities, aiming for its completion and operational launch in 2025.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides signed several documents, including the Minutes of the 35th meeting, the VRTC’s 2025-29 Scientific Research and Application Programme, the 2025 research and development plan for the centre, and a Letter of Intent between the Ministry of National Defence of Việt Nam and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia concerning technology transfer in the VRTC framework.

Earlier, Chiến and his entourage visited St. Petersburg Mining University, where they discussed research areas related to mining science and technology. He emphasised the potential for enhanced cooperation between the university, the centre, and Việt Nam's Ministry of National Defence, particularly in areas such as ecological protection, sustainable use of natural resources, and materials technology.

On November 14, the official laid flowers at the Hồ Chí Minh Monument in St. Petersburg. — VNS