Knowledge bridge connecting Vietnam - China cooperation

Ms. Lu My Niem, former interpreter of the 2/9 Vietnam School in Guangxi:

Proud of my years teaching at 2/9 School Vietnam

Ms. Lu My Niem (middle) shared at the program "Meeting Vietnamese and Chinese students of all periods". (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

I was born in 1945 and grew up in Ha Giang (Vietnam). As a child, I only knew how to speak Vietnamese. At the age of 9, I moved to Guilin, China to study Mandarin, continued my education and graduated from Guangxi Teachers' College.

When the resistance war against the US entered a fierce phase, responding to the call of the leaders of the two countries, I and many other young volunteers participated in teaching Vietnamese and Chinese to generations of students. The Vietnam 2/9 School is a large-scale educational system for Vietnamese students in China. In Guilin, many training facilities were established such as the Nguyen Van Troi Military Academy, Nguyen Van Be School, Vo Thi Sau School and the Central Ethnic School. To ensure secrecy in the context of war, these schools were collectively called the Vietnam 2/9 School.

The years I lived and worked here were the proudest and happiest times of my life. Everyone treated me like family. My love for Vietnam was nurtured in me and passed on to the next generations. My children are all fluent in Vietnamese. My son chose to study, work and start a family in Vietnam.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, I visited Vietnam every year. After 3 years, thanks to this meaningful meeting, I have the opportunity to return. I see that Vietnam is becoming cleaner, more modern, and more orderly. I believe that with continuous development, your country will be more and more confident on the path to the future.

Mr. Nguyen The Su, former Head of Chinese Department, Hanoi University:

Preserving and spreading the tradition of Vietnam - China friendship

In nearly 40 years of working in the Chinese language industry, I have had many opportunities to study and teach in China and witness the close ties between the people of the two countries. Memories with teachers, friends and students here always leave deep impressions on me.

In 1992, I came to study at Peking University on a full scholarship from the Chinese Government. A memorable memory was that after only a few months, I unexpectedly received an invitation to have dinner with the school's Party Secretary, Mr. Hac Ban. During the conversation, he expressed his joy that after many years of interruption, Peking University was once again welcoming Vietnamese students. He shared that since the 1950s and 1960s, Vietnamese students have always left a good impression with their diligence, discipline and solidarity. I was very moved and promised to continue to inherit and promote that tradition, contributing to fostering the friendship between the two countries.

During my time studying at Peking University, I always received attention and help from my teachers. Knowing that I was not used to the food in the student cafeteria, my teachers enthusiastically prepared a kerosene stove and pots so that I could cook according to my taste. Those small but warm gestures made me love the people and country of China even more. After that, every time I returned to Beijing, I tried to visit the school to express my gratitude to the teachers who had guided me.

Vietnam-China relations are entering a more substantial and effective phase of development. I hope that the two countries will continue to promote education about the tradition of friendship among all classes of people, especially the younger generation. Only by clearly understanding the history of the relationship can future generations inherit and promote the good values ​​and join hands to build a sustainable relationship, together moving towards a peaceful and prosperous future.

Prof. Dr. Tran Xuan Hoai, former student of Lu Son Vietnamese Children's School - Guilin:

Making use of Chinese knowledge: learning practically, working effectively

Prof. Dr. Tran Xuan Hoai. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

China is one of the leading countries in science and technology. Vietnam should take advantage of this opportunity to learn.

Vietnam needs to take advantage of knowledge resources from China to develop science and technology and put them into practical application. Although young Chinese scientists are quite good at English, many technical and technological secrets are still mainly communicated in Chinese. Therefore, mastering this language will help Vietnam access technological advances more quickly and cooperate more effectively.

Not only limited to the high-tech sector, Vietnam can learn from the practical application of techniques, business model development, and production improvement of China, a country that has successfully absorbed and upgraded Western technology to shorten the development gap. Vietnamese entrepreneurs, engineers, and startups can completely refer to this approach. The similarities in culture and thinking between Vietnam and China make it easier to absorb than learning from the West.

Learning is not just about getting a degree, but also about truly mastering professional skills, understanding management and technology development. For those pursuing science and technology, learning English and Chinese in parallel will bring advantages. Especially for those doing business, startups or manufacturing, being good at Chinese can become a significant competitive advantage.

Tran Gia Khai, a Chinese student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Tran Gia Khai, Chinese student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi):

Expanding scholarships, enhancing cultural exchange

After graduating, I hope to become an interpreter, contributing to bringing the literature and music of the two countries closer together. There are many good and meaningful Vietnamese songs, but due to the language barrier, many Chinese people cannot fully feel the message that the artists want to convey. I believe that translation is not simply a matter of translating, but also a bridge to help the two nations understand and appreciate each other's cultural values.

2025 is the Vietnam-China Humanitarian Exchange Year, I hope that the youth of the two countries will actively participate in exchange activities to understand each other more deeply. At the same time, the governments of the two countries continue to implement scholarship programs, creating conditions for Chinese students to study in Vietnam and vice versa. Through that, the young generation will not only learn knowledge but also contribute to fostering the strong friendship between the two peoples.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, former Director of the Vietnam School Memorial House. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Mr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, former Director of the Memorial House of Vietnamese Schools at Guangxi Normal University (China):

Promoting the value of historical educational space

The Vietnam School Memorial House is an important symbol of Vietnam-China friendship. Not only does it preserve memories of educational cooperation during the resistance war, it also becomes a practical educational center, helping the younger generation better understand the learning tradition of their ancestors.

I hope that in the future, the space of the Vietnam School Memorial House will be expanded further to attract more people to visit and study. Not only is it a place to remember the past, it can also become a center connecting the youth of the two countries, contributing to promoting the role of education in strengthening the friendship between Vietnam and China.