Chongqing—On October 13, the first session of the Vietnamese Youth "Red Study Tour" in China was launched in Chongqing to deepen friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
To deepen friendship and cooperation between Chongqing and Vietnam, the first session of the Vietnamese Youth "Red Study Tour" in China was launched in Chongqing on October 13. (Photo/Deng Yan)
Jointly organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, the four-day program will bring nearly 50 young Vietnamese representatives to visit key "red landmarks" in Chongqing, including the Hongyan Revolutionary Memorial Hall, Geleshan Martyrs' Cemetery, and the Eighth Route Army Office. Participants will experience China's revolutionary history and spirit through immersive learning.
Vietnam, a socialist neighbor sharing mountains and rivers with China, is one of Chongqing's most important partners in ASEAN. The city's trade with Vietnam reached 39.8 billion yuan(about $5.58 billion) in 2024, with Vietnam remaining Chongqing's largest trading partner in ASEAN for five consecutive years. The two sides have launched multimodal transport services, including sea-rail intermodal trains, international railway freight services, and cross-border shuttle buses, achieving a total cargo throughput of over 110,000 TEUs valued at more than 33.1 billion yuan.
Beyond economic ties, the two sides enjoy close people-to-people exchanges. Chongqing has established friendly cooperation relations with Ho Chi Minh City, Cao Bang Province, and Quang Ninh Province in Vietnam, and continues to deepen collaboration in culture and tourism. From January to August this year, the number of Vietnamese overnight visitors to Chongqing reached 23,000, up 45% year on year.
This year marks multiple milestones: the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's founding, and the 50th anniversary of southern Vietnam's liberation. The two countries share intertwined revolutionary histories — Vietnamese people contributed to China's war of resistance, while Chinese support was vital to Vietnam's struggles for national independence.
To deepen friendship and cooperation between Chongqing and Vietnam, the first session of the Vietnamese Youth "Red Study Tour" in China was launched in Chongqing on October 13. (Photo/Deng Yan)
Yang Wanming, President of CPAFFC, said Chongqing was chosen as the starting point of this tour because it embodies the "Hongyan Spirit" and holds a unique place in China-Vietnam revolutionary history. President Ho Chi Minh visited Chongqing twice, fighting side by side with the Chinese people and leaving behind precious traces at places like the Eighth Route Army Office and Hongyan Village.
In the coming days, Chinese and Vietnamese youth representatives will visit the Hongyan Revolutionary Memorial Hall to explore the red roots of friendship, pay respects at Ho Chi Minh's former residence, and retrace the steps of earlier leaders from both nations. They will also tour the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor hub to witness China's modernization in action. The participants aim to become guardians of shared ideals, inheritors of traditional friendship, and builders of future cooperation — contributing youthful energy to the shared socialist cause and building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future of strategic significance.
One of the Vietnamese participants expressed her excitement about the trip, calling it not only a journey of learning but also one of friendship and faith. "This Red Study Tour carries the shared dreams and aspirations of Chinese and Vietnamese youth," she said. "I hope to gain a deeper understanding of China's history, culture, and development achievements. May the traditional friendship between our two countries remain evergreen and continue for generations, contributing to the happiness of our peoples and to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world."