Friendship organizations of Vietnam have held activities to celebrate the 54th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which falls on Oct. 1.

The Association of Vietnam-China Friendship, in cooperation with the Hanoi University of Foreign Studies and the Club of Vietnam-China Cultural Exchanges, held celebrations at the Hanoi University of Foreign Studies on Saturday.

Addressing the ceremony, Le Ngoc Tuong, vice dean of the university, said the cause of learning the Chinese language and the Vietnam-China friendly exchanges of the education and training circles in general, and of the university in particular, have recorded great developments in recent years.

The Department of the Chinese Language with over 1,000 students is the second biggest department of the university.

Many generations of Vietnamese students learning Chinese have made concrete and practical contributions to multi-faceted cooperation and traditional friendship between the two countries, said Tuong.

In the cause of learning Chinese, the university has always received great and effective support and assistance from the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, he added.

During the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Qi Jianguo said under the guidance of the principle "long-term stability, future orientation, friendly neighborliness, comprehensive cooperation" set by party leaders of the two countries, the friendly relationship and multi-faceted cooperation between China and Vietnam have won a lot of new achievements over the past year.

History demonstrated that friendship between China and Vietnam is precious wealth of the two parties, two countries and two peoples, and accords with the fundamental interests and the common aspirations of the two peoples, the ambassador said.

The Chinese people, together with the Vietnamese people, pledge to promote the solidarity and expand cooperation by being good neighbors, good friends and good partners forever, he said.

A competition of Vietnamese students singing Chinese songs was held after the ceremony. 

(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2003)