China-Vietnam friendship grows ever stronger with passage of time

Photo taken on Dec. 7 shows the former residence of Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, Vietnam. (People's Daily/Gao Shi)

Ho Chi Minh was one of the most familiar foreign leaders to the Chinese people. His close connection with China encapsulated an unforgettable chapter in China-Vietnam exchanges. Located in Vietnam's capital Hanoi, the former residence of Ho Chi Minh was the site where the late Vietnamese leader spent the longest time working and living.

On Nov. 13, 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, reviewed the friendly exchanges between the older-generation leaders of the two countries and the friendship between the Chinese and Vietnamese peoples at the former residence of Ho Chi Minh.

In front of a stilt house where Ho Chi Minh once lived, Xi presented Trong a state gift - 19 issues of People's Daily about Vietnamese leaders' visits to China. The stilt house stands as a testament to the concerted efforts made by the top leaders of the CPC and the CPV to forge stronger bonds of friendship between the two nations in the new era.

A senior tourist visiting the former residence of Ho Chi Minh shared with People's Daily his knowledge of the friendship between Ho Chi Minh and older-generation Chinese leaders. He was quite familiar with the Jiefang trucks, Forever bikes and other goods and materials China once provided for Vietnam.

Volleyball amateurs from China and Vietnam compete in a game during a folk sports event hosted in Hekou Yao autonomous county, southwest China's Yunnan province, Nov. 2. (Photo/Zhao Jingzhi)

A friendship featuring "camaraderie plus brotherhood" has withstood the test of time. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Vietnam. Under the guidance of Xi and Trong, bilateral relationship between the two countries has been developing at a high level, and strategic cooperation comprehensively deepened.

Exchange and cooperation in various fields have continuously enhanced mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, especially among the younger generation.

Outside the stilt house, several young Vietnamese told People's Daily that the more they know about China, the more they can feel the major achievements made by China. They said Chinese TV dramas and electronic products have sparked their interest in China, and many young Vietnamese are joining Chinese language courses and actively engaging with Chinese friends through platforms such as Confucius Institutes and China Cultural Centers.

The deepening understanding has propelled closer cooperation and communication. Recently, a brand-new news program in Vietnamese called "China and Vietnam Connection" was officially launched. The program, co-produced by Chinese and Vietnamese media outlets, is the first international cooperation program broadcast on Vietnam's national television.

Students try Chinese calligraphy and paper cutting during a cultural activity hosted by the Confucius Institute at Hanoi University, Dec. 8. (People's Daily/Zhang Yuannan)

The CPC and the CPV have hosted 17 theory seminars. Relevant institutions from both sides have also organized various exchange activities, such as a symposium on party building and national governance in the new era and an international seminar on socialist development experience of China and Vietnam and its global influence. These activities shared experiences in party building and governance, and deepened the two sides' understanding of the laws of socialist construction.

The traditional friendship between China and Vietnam has been flourishing, and the public support for China-Vietnam friendship has also been cemented. This has created a favorable social basis and public sentiment for the development of bilateral relations.

It is believed that as both countries firmly support each other in pursuing a socialist path that suits their respective national conditions, they will further strengthen solidarity and friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.

The stilt house will continue to witness the wonderful stories of China-Vietnam friendship and the passing on of the friendship.