Hanoi (VNA)꧙ – The third Vietnam-China Youth Festival wrapped up with a ceremony in Hanoi on November 9 afternoon.

Addressing some 5,000 youth delegates from the two countries, Politburo member and Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said the Vietnamese-Chinese friendship has been nurtured by late Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Mao Zedong, other leaders and peoples of the two nations. It is a valuable common asset of both sides. At present, their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is being intensified by the two Parties and States, she noted. She said a long road full of difficulties and challenges is still awaiting the countries during the course of development. That requests Vietnamese and Chinese youths to keep working hard and devoting themselves for their future, as well as the two peoples’ happiness. She assured that the Party and State of Vietnam always pay special attention to and provides the best possible conditions for Vietnamese and Chinese younger generations to engage in friendship exchanges so as to boost mutual understanding and trust. Chairwoman Ngan applauded cooperation initiatives launched by the countries’ youth organisations, considering the youth festival as an effective initiative. As the future owners of their respective nations, Vietnamese and Chinese youths have a responsibility to develop their countries along with the bilateral friendship for each country’s interests and peace, stability and prosperity in the region and around the world, she added. Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Zhang Dejiang said his visit aims to further strengthen bilateral friendship and practical cooperation, and enrich the contents of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries. Speaking highly of people-to-people exchange over the past two years, evidenced by the annual tourist arrivals that hit nearly 3 million, Zhang hoped that young people should tap tourism, study and business opportunities to raise mutual understanding and uphold their bridge role to foster ties between the two peoples. According to him, China has been the largest trade partner of Vietnam in the 12 consecutive years. In the first half of this year, Vietnam has become the largest ASEAN partner of China for the first time. He wished that the two countries’ young people would play a vanguard role in the fields of economy, culture, education and environment protection. First Secretary of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) Central Committee Qin Yizhi, for his part, said during the festival, 1,000 Chinese young friendship messengers joined activities in six northern provinces of Vietnam and witnessed socio-economic progress that Vietnam has made over the past 30 years of renewal process. First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMCYU) Central Committee Le Quoc Phong, in his speech, highlighted that the HCMCYU and Vietnamese youths stand ready to continue exchanges and collaboration with the CYLC and Chinese youths to bring effective and practical results, contributing to the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.-VNA