HANOI, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The "Red Study Tours" project is a platform to carry forward the historical legacy of the Vietnam-China friendship, helping transform shared revolutionary memory into lasting people-to-people bonds, a Vietnamese scholar said.
The Vietnam-China friendship, built by leaders of the two countries, is an invaluable asset that must be transformed into a positive social foundation and mutual understanding between the two peoples, particularly among the youth, Nguyen Minh Hoan, head of the Faculty of Philosophy under Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
Hoan said youth exchanges, particularly through activities like the "Red Study Tours", are a long-term investment in mutual trust, cooperation potential, and sustainability of the friendship between the two countries.
Around 200 youth representatives from various sectors of Vietnam are currently in China on study tours as part of the "Red Study Tours" initiative, which has drawn more than 1,000 Vietnamese adolescent participants since last year.
Hoan said that a great friendship does not emerge on its own but begins with countless "small streams," from daily interactions, mutual visits and shared classrooms to youth exchange programs, cooperative projects and genuine bonds between the peoples of the two countries.
The "Red Study Tours" initiative, he said, helps connect the youth with the historical origins of the friendship and understand that it was shaped through shared struggles, adding that the program not only preserves historical memory but also passes on ideals, responsibility and confidence in the future of bilateral relations.
When Vietnam and China launched the project last year, Hoan, who watched the moment, felt something deeper than a mere ceremony, seeing history extending its hands to the future.
"This was not a symbolic gesture but carried a political, historical and profoundly humanistic message," he told Xinhua.
He described the program as a continuation of the revolutionary bonds forged in the early 20th century when Vietnamese revolutionaries worked side by side with Chinese comrades based on a shared ideal of national liberation.
One of the most valuable outcomes of the project is enabling the Vietnamese youth to understand the history through their first-hand experience and emotional engagement rather than through textbooks alone, he said, highlighting that by visiting historical sites and learning about Vietnamese revolutionaries' activities in China, they will better appreciate the profound and genuine historical foundation of the friendship.
"The project also broadens young people's view of contemporary China with dynamic development, while drawing lessons from national construction and social progress. This is significant as youth exchange should go beyond emotional connection to become a platform for mutual learning and practical cooperation," he told Xinhua.
Youth exchange plays an important role in consolidating Vietnam-China relations as young people inherit and shape the future of bilateral ties, he underscored, affirming that the traditional friendship will only endure if it is properly understood, embraced and developed by younger generations.
From his perspective as an educator and researcher, Hoan said his role is to help students understand the historical, theoretical and practical dimensions of the Vietnam-China friendship.
As future educators, scientists, businessmen, journalists and managers, the youth of both sides, with positive sentiments and understanding of each other, will provide a strong and lasting social foundation for the bilateral relations, he stated. ■