Chinese scholar: Strengthening exchanges enhances understanding between Vietnam and China
WVR - Mr. Niu Kaijun, Director of the Institute of International Relations, Sun Yat-sen University (China), shared with The World & Vietnam Report about measures to promote exchanges between Vietnam and China.
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| Mr. Niu Kaijun, Director of the Institute of International Relations, Sun Yat-sen University (China). (Photo: Viet Linh) |
Vietnam as a crucial bridge
According to Mr. Niu Kaijun, China and Vietnam share numerous cultural similarities and connections. Among Southeast Asian countries, Chinese people find it easiest to communicate and understand with the Vietnamese and Singaporeans.
“From this perspective, if China wants to engage in deep exchanges and cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam and Singapore will be the most crucial bridges, both in terms of economy, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges,” Mr. Niu Kaijun added.
Currently, many Chinese students are studying and researching in Vietnam, and numerous Vietnamese students are studying in China.
According to Vietnam's statistics, in 2025, approximately 23,000 Vietnamese students are studying in China. Meanwhile, the number of Chinese students coming to Vietnam is estimated to reach 2,000-3,000.
Additionally, academic exchanges between experts and scholars from both countries are flourishing, and there is a significant number of Chinese people doing business in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
“I believe these are crucial bridges that help China and Vietnam understand each other better,” Director Niu Kaijun emphasized.
Discussing measures to promote cooperation in the future, Mr. Niu Kaijun hopes that Vietnam will continue to play a positive bridging role in enhancing economic cooperation and strengthening cultural exchanges between China and Vietnam, specifically, and China and ASEAN in general.
“I think, first of all, both sides can promote economic cooperation. One of the potential cooperation areas is in robotics and new energy. These are considered China's strengths at present,” Mr. Niu affirmed.
Moreover, both sides can promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges. According to Director Niu, both culture and economy have ample room for exchange, interaction, and learning from each other.
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| Representatives from Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, and Guangdong Radio and Television present representatives of the Vietnamese press delegation with several Vietnamese literature and history books translated into Chinese. (Photo: Viet Duc) |
Deepening cultural exchanges
In 2025, Sun Yat-sen University (China) organized numerous exchange activities with Vietnam.
According to information from Director Niu Kaijun, the Faculty of International Relations and the Southeast Asian Research Institute of Sun Yat-sen University are currently conducting extensive research on Vietnam.
“Recently, I personally signed a contract with a publisher to publish three books, all about Vietnam and related to China-Vietnam cultural exchanges,” Mr. Niu Kaijun shared.
The first is “The imperially ordered annotated text completely reflecting the history of Viet" published in China; the second includes two volumes of “Journey Map of Envoys" of Vietnam, currently preserved in France, soon to be published in China.
The third is a 500-year-old book written by a Chinese author about China-Vietnam relations. This book is no longer available in China, but Vietnam still preserves it. Mr. Niu Kai Quan has traveled to Vietnam to sign a contract to republish this book, expected to be launched in 2026.
Additionally, Director of the Institute of International Relations Niu Kaijun stated that Sun Yat-sen University plans to send delegations of Chinese experts and scholars for academic exchanges in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City annually.
“My doctoral thesis largely relied on materials collected from academic exchange delegations to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. I have also visited Vietnam many times, almost every year, so I believe that in the past 20-30 years, China and Vietnam have established a solid foundation for academic exchanges,” Mr. Niu Kaijun affirmed.
With such a strong foundation of cooperation, Mr. Niu Kaijun expressed hope that in the future, Sun Yat-sen University and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, will have more exchange and cooperation activities.
Furthermore, more Vietnamese universities will collaborate with Sun Yat-sen University specifically and Chinese universities in general.
| When asked to describe the Vietnam-China Humanistic Exchange Year 2025 in three words, Mr. Niu Kaijun chose “understanding, respect, and exchange”. “As long as both sides enhance exchanges, we will understand each other better, leading to mutual respect. The more we respect each other, the further and more sustainable the relationship between the two countries will be. As I mentioned, the cultures of China and Vietnam have many similarities. Among the foreigners I have interacted with, Vietnamese people are those with whom I can have the deepest exchanges. When mutual respect and understanding are established, minor conflicts between nations can be resolved. The more exchanges there are, the more sustainable and long-lasting the bilateral relationship will be.” |
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(TGVN)
