On March 31 in Kunming, Yunnan province, China, a closing ceremony was held for the professional training program on local economic and trade development in the China - Vietnam Red River Basin (Course II). The event took place within the framework of the Vietnam trade delegation’s working visit to Yunnan from March 28 to 31, organized by the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Attending the event on the Vietnamese side was Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, Deputy Director of the Center for Trade and Investment Promotion Support under the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade), Head of the delegation, along with officials and administrative representatives from Red River Delta localities including Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Hanoi, Phu Tho, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, and Ninh Binh.

On the Chinese side, participants included He Shiwen, Executive Vice President of the Party School of Honghe Prefectural Committee; Huang Jialac, representative of the Yunnan provincial Department of Commerce; and officials from eight prefectures and cities in Yunnan’s Red River Basin region.

Opening broader opportunities for substantive, long-term cooperation

The program was developed in close alignment with the high-level consensus reached during bilateral visits between Vietnam and China, as well as the spirit of the joint statements issued by both sides.

Its content focused on the “7+8” local economic and trade cooperation framework, connecting seven localities in Yunnan Province with eight provinces and cities in northern Vietnam. The initiative has established a high-quality platform enabling administrative officials from both countries to access policy frameworks, exchange experience, expand cooperation networks, and strengthen bilateral friendship.

From the very first day, the delegation conducted field visits, during which participants observed smart port operation models and cross-border trade processing procedures. These firsthand experiences provided a clearer understanding of the increasingly modernized cross-border connectivity infrastructure in the Red River Basin.

Such practical exposure not only reshaped previously limited perceptions of border trade, but also reaffirmed a key principle: connectivity infrastructure is a decisive foundation for effective economic and trade cooperation.

During thematic sessions, experts from the Party School of Honghe Prefectural Committee delivered in-depth presentations, systematizing policy orientations, identifying development opportunities, and clarifying approaches to implementing economic cooperation in the Red River Basin. These discussions enriched participants’ professional knowledge while helping shape more structured thinking and operational approaches in their work.

At the program, a Vietnamese administrative representative from the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade shared reflections on the training. After four days of participation, the delegation gained both theoretical insights and practical field experience.

The delegation also engaged in discussions with Professor Niu Jianhong from the Yunnan School of Administration on proposals to accelerate Vietnam - China local economic cooperation in the Red River Basin. They took part in exchange seminars introducing the strengths of localities as well as field visits across various sites in Yunnan Province.

In addition, both sides organized activities such as the Vietnam - China Import - Export Business Investment Promotion Conference in Mengzi and a Vietnam - China trade business networking program in Kunming.

“These events enabled businesses from both countries to meet and exchange directly, opening up opportunities for substantive and long-term cooperation,” the Vietnamese representative noted.

Ngo Duc Quan, Deputy Director of the Honghe Free Trade Zone Management Board, also shared at the program that the initiative was carefully planned, highly practical in content, and efficiently organized. From Hekou County to Honghe Prefecture and then Kunming City, the field survey program was systematically arranged.

“The seminars and discussions provided us with valuable knowledge. This outcome was made possible thanks to close coordination from both Vietnamese and Chinese sides. The Party Committee and government leaders of Honghe Prefecture directly directed, coordinated, and presided over the event, along with thorough preparation from relevant departments and agencies,” he said.

A representative of the Chinese delegation also noted that on the Vietnamese side, leaders from the Center for Trade and Investment Promotion Support under the Ministry of Industry and Trade directly led the delegation, while relevant localities sent senior officials, contributing to the program’s effectiveness and quality.

Strengthening human resource capacity in economic and trade sectors

Speaking at the event, Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, Deputy Director of the Center for Trade and Investment Promotion Support under the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency and Head of the Vietnamese delegation, emphasized that the success of the program is a concrete demonstration of the implementation of commitments on developing high-quality human resources in economic and trade sectors. This, she noted, contributes to deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries in a more substantive and sustainable manner.

“Throughout the program, Vietnamese administrative officials had the valuable opportunity to access in-depth knowledge on modern economic and trade development strategies of Yunnan province, a strategic gateway in trade relations between China and ASEAN,” Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy stated.

She also highly appreciated the thorough preparation by the Honghe Prefectural Party School and the responsible coordination of the Honghe Prefectural authorities in designing a training program that combined theoretical learning with practical experience, along with seminars and business networking events that generated significant value for both delegations and enterprises.

According to Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, after completing the program, the knowledge gained should be actively studied, applied, and adapted by officials in accordance with Vietnam’s practical conditions.

She further noted that the training program also carried important political significance, helping enhance mutual trust and understanding between government agencies of both countries.

“This exchange of experience within such a meaningful framework serves as a vital bridge, helping build a strong and coordinated working network between Vietnamese administrative officials and relevant agencies in localities along the Red River Basin in Yunnan province,” she stressed.

Highly valuing the close coordination between both sides, He Shiwen, Executive Vice President of the Party School of the Honghe Prefectural Committee, noted that the program had delivered practical results across multiple dimensions.

“Participants gained a more systematic understanding and a more comprehensive grasp of the path and implementation mechanism of the ‘7+8’ Red River Basin local cooperation framework between China and Vietnam. There is also greater consensus in perception and thinking on jointly promoting cooperation and development,” he said.

He Shiwen added that professional capacity had been further enhanced through a combination of discussions and field surveys, allowing participants to directly observe the operation of high-tech zones, identify bottlenecks and challenges in practice, and acquire feasible solutions for cross-border cooperation.

“In addition, cooperation and exchanges have been further strengthened. Representatives from Red River Basin localities have learned from each other, unified perspectives through discussions, broadened their horizons, reinforced friendship, and laid a solid foundation for more synchronized and regular coordination in the future,” he emphasized.

The outcomes of the program go beyond improving knowledge and capacity among participating officials. They also open prospects for more in-depth exchange and specialized training programs in the future. Building on the experience, understanding, and networks established, officials from both countries are expected to apply these outcomes effectively in their practical work, thereby contributing to increasingly substantive economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and China.