HANOI, Nov. 22 - Many Vietnamese, particularly the young, are now studying the Chinese language while many Chinese are also learning the Vietnamese language, a development that could foster closer relations between the two neighboring countries.

In his introduction during the celebration of the 55th anniversary of Chinese Language Department at Hanoi University on Thursday, Nguyen Thi Thuy Hanh, a Chinese language teacher, said that there are now more than 700 full-time students and 400 part- time students of the Chinese language department in the university.

The Chinese Language Department of Hanoi University is one of the best and biggest in Hanoi. "The increasing number of Vietnamese studying the Chinese language in recent years showed the development of Vietnam-China relations and the close friendship between the two peoples,"Hanh said. "I hope that Chinese language students in Vietnam will study the language not only to get better jobs but also to contribute in strengthening the friendship between the two countries and bring the two peoples closer to each other,"Hanh added.

Tran Huu Huan, 65, who was student at Hanoi University's Chinese Language Department from 1968 to 1972 said that in 1968, during the war in Vietnam, many Chinese experts and people came to help Vietnam. At that time, Chinese language was also taught at high school, Huan said.

After his graduation from the university, Huan went to work at an enterprise of China's Taiwan in northern Vietnam.

"I worked in my hometown in Hai Phong province where there were many Chinese who were working at that time in construction site of a thermal power plant. I often chatted with the Chinese workers and helped each other and our relations were very good," Huan said.

Huan said that Vietnam and China are two neighboring countries and should be helping each other."Studying each other's language will help increase mutual understanding," he said.

For Ning Yechong, a 20-year-old student from China's Guangxi province, who is studying the Vietnamese language at Hanoi University, learning the Vietnamese language will help him know more about the country.

"Vietnam and China are both socialist countries with many things in common," Ning said, adding that as his hometown lies in the border area with Vietnam and there will be many advantages for him to find a job after graduation.

"China is the biggest trading partner of Vietnam with huge potentials for further development. A robust trade relation will drive the two countries closer to each other," Ning said.

Nguyen Minh Ha, a 20-year-old student of Hanoi University in Vietnam said that her choice of studying Chinese language at the university came from the influence of her father who likes Chinese traditional culture.

Ha said that since she was a child, her father often taught her idioms in Chinese language and stories about the rich Chinese culture.

"The stories he told me about China and its culture inspired me to learn more about the country by studying Chinese language," Ha said.

Hou Xiangyu, 28, from China's Shanxi province, after spending four years in the country teaching Chinese language, got married to a Vietnamese.

"There are many Vietnamese people studying Chinese language and, at the same time, many Chinese people learning Vietnamese language. The exchanges will help promote mutual understanding between the two countries," Hou said.

In order to encourage young Vietnamese to study the Chinese language, Ha's family offered scholarship grants for students on the occasion of Chinese Language Department's anniversary.

Ha is the daughter of Nguyen Son Hong Thuy, an eminent Vietnamese military official who had been known as "a general of the two nations." "This is for students who want to imbibe the spirit of my father in learning Chinese language," Ha said, adding that the funds for the scholarship came from her and her sister's retirement benefits.

"My father spent almost 30 years in China. As her daughter, I hope that young generations will continue to strengthen and develop the friendship between the two countries just like what my father did," Ha said.

This is the ninth year Ha and her family granted scholarships for students who want to excel in the Chinese language.