The signing of a memorandum of understanding between the HCM City Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and Saint Petersburg's Committee for Youth Policies and NGO Relations at the teleconference (Photo: VNA) Secretary of the HCM CityParty Committee Nguyen Van Nen emphasised the two peoples’ special sentiment,whose foundation was laid when President Ho Chi Minh, then known as Nguyen AiQuoc, set foot in the Soviet Union for the first time, in 1923, to seek waysfor national salvation.
Nen affirmed that theVietnamese people always keep in mind the Soviet Union people’s wholeheartedsupport and assistance for Vietnam during the struggle for national independenceand reunification, as well as post-war reconstruction and the development ofmany economic sectors like hydropower, oil and gas, and other industries.
Today’s relations betweenVietnam and Russia are the continuation and inheritance of the traditionalfriendship nurtured through many generations. In 2001, Russia was the firstcountry in the world Vietnam had set up a strategic partnership with, and theties were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2012, he noted.
He held that the cooperationpotential between HCM City and Saint Petersburg remains huge since both are“dynamic development locomotives” of their respective countries.
While HCM City is workinghard to develop a smart and modern city and become an economic, financial,trade, and scientific - technological hub of Vietnam and Southeast Asia as awhole, Saint Petersburg is currently a major economic, scientific, technical,cultural, and tourism centre of Russia.
Apart from existingcooperation areas, they are considering collaboration in pharmaceuticalproduction and cancer treatment and sharing water loss reductiontechnology and experience. Both are also taking steps necessary for theestablishment of an economic, tourism and cultural centre of HCM City in SaintPetersburg, according to the Secretary.
Speaking at the event,Governor of Saint Petersburg Alexander Beglov expressed his delight at theflourishing Russia - Vietnam cooperation, based on mutual trust and respect,which has been substantially contributed by the twin cities.
The cities have become closerand closer year by year with new cooperation areas present and economic linksincreasingly expanded, he remarked.
Beglov said difficultiescaused by the COVID-19 pandemic are unable to hamper the cities’ enhancement oftheir ties, assuring that the HCM City centre for economy, tourism, and culturewill be established in Saint Petersburg as soon as pandemic-triggeredrestriction measures are lifted.
During the teleconference,the two sides discussed a number of important cooperation issues in economy,culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchange./.
VNA
