There is still much potential to strengthen cooperation between Nghe An province and Ulyanovsk province (Russian Federation).

On the Russian side, there were Mr. Bezdetko Gennady Stepanovich - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Vietnam; Oleg Kabanov Vladimirovich - Vice Chairman of the Government of Ulyanovsk Province, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Governor of Ulyanovsk Province in the Government of the Russian Federation; Anton Viktorovich Golubev - Counselor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Vietnam; and leaders of departments and units.

On the side of Nghe An province, there were comrade Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; leaders of departments, branches and sectors.

LONG-STANDING, CLOSE TRADITIONAL RELATIONSHIP

Speaking at the opening of the working session, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung expressed his pleasure to welcome the delegation of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Vietnam and the Ulyanovsk Provincial Government to visit and work in Nghe An on the occasion of the 154th anniversary of VI Lenin's birth and the inauguration of the VI Lenin statue in Vinh city.

The Russian Federation and Vietnam are two peoples with special affection. This affection was laid when President Ho Chi Minh first set foot in Soviet Russia. Since then, the Vietnamese and Russian people, though geographically distant, are close in spirit and ardent patriotism, have always accompanied each other, together overcoming countless difficulties and challenges, forging a special traditional friendship between the two peoples.

Nghe An is the hometown of President Ho Chi Minh, the national liberation hero, a world cultural celebrity. Ulyanovsk is the hometown of VI Lenin, a great thinker, an outstanding political theorist, a brilliant leader of the working class and working people all over the world. With that natural bond, Nghe An and Ulyanovsk provinces have built a cooperative relationship since the 1980s.

At the meeting, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung introduced the basic features of Nghe An province and the cooperative relationship between Nghe An province and Ulyanovsk province in recent times.

After a period of interruption, in 2006, the two provinces resumed their cooperative relations during the visit of the delegation of Nghe An province to Ulyanovsk. In 2007, the delegation of Ulyanovsk province led by the Governor visited, worked and signed a Cooperation Agreement in Nghe An province and has achieved some results so far.

Regarding trade, in 2023, Nghe An enterprises' export turnover to Russia will reach nearly 3.5 million USD; in the first quarter of 2024, it will reach nearly 1.6 million USD. In 2017, the government and people of Ulyanovsk province paid attention and created the best conditions for Nghe An province to deploy the construction and inauguration of the statue of President Ho Chi Minh in Ulyanovsk city.

Ulyanovsk province also renamed High School 76 to Ho Chi Minh High School; opened an exhibition room on the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh; and signed a memorandum of understanding on educational cooperation between Ho Chi Minh High School (Ulyanovsk city) and Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted (Nghe An province).

Nghe An province has directed agencies to organize the inauguration ceremony of the Lenin monument in Vinh city; and to build and inaugurate the Ho Chi Minh monument in Ulyanovsk city.

These two works are not only symbols of friendship between the people of Vietnam and Russia, but also show the noble affection of the people of the two provinces for the two leaders, and are also cultural and artistic symbols, "red addresses" for domestic and foreign tourists to visit.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said that the cooperation results between Nghe An province and the Russian Federation in general and Ulyanovsk province in particular still have a lot of potential to further strengthen cooperation activities, cultural exchange, tourism, and people-to-people diplomacy.

In the coming time, it is hoped that Nghe An province and Ulyanovsk province will strengthen cooperation activities in a number of fields. Regarding education and training, Nghe An province proposed to exchange Vietnamese and Russian language teachers between Phan Boi Chau High School of Nghe An and Ho Chi Minh High School of Ulyanovsk province; Organize teacher and student exchange programs between the two schools.

In health, cooperation in exchanging experiences and training and transferring techniques to medical staff in the fields of cardiovascular, oncology, neurosurgery, reproductive, cosmetic, and traditional medicine.

Regarding tourism, coordinate research and development of tourism programs, especially the red journey connecting Ulyanovsk province with Nghe An province.

In terms of culture, organize cultural and artistic exchange activities between Nghe An province and Ulyanovsk province.

Regarding trade and investment, Nghe An province proposed promoting investment cooperation opportunities between Nghe An province's enterprises and Ulyanovsk province's enterprises.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung said that in the 2024 foreign affairs plan, Nghe An province plans to organize a working delegation to visit and work in the Russian Federation, including Ulyanovsk province. Therefore, the province hopes to receive the attention and support of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Vietnam and the Ulyanovsk Provincial Government so that the delegation's working trip will achieve many good results.



In addition, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee hopes that the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Vietnam will be a bridge to support cooperation activities between Nghe An province and localities of the Russian Federation in general, and Ulyanovsk province in particular, in the fields of investment, trade, tourism, health, science and technology, culture, education and training.

ENHANCE BILATERAL COOPERATION

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Bezdetko Gennady Stepanovich - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Vietnam expressed his pleasure to visit and work in Nghe An province - a place rich in revolutionary history and culture; the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh, the beloved leader of the Vietnamese people; the homeland of the Nghe Tinh Soviet revolutionary movement.

The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Vietnam thanked the leaders of Nghe An province for their efforts and successful implementation of the inauguration ceremony of the VI Lenin monument in the hometown of President Ho Chi Minh. The inauguration of the monument has political significance, symbolizing the promotion of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation.

Emphasizing that Vietnam and the Russian Federation have a long-standing traditional relationship of friendship, solidarity and closeness, the Russian Federation Ambassador to Vietnam affirmed that Vietnam is one of the most important partners of the Russian Federation in the Asia-Pacific region.

The two countries also have great potential to continue promoting cooperation projects and bilateral relations in all fields. The Russian Federation is always ready to do everything to promote the relations between the two countries and hopes that Nghe An enterprises will actively cooperate with Ulyanovsk enterprises in particular and the Russian Federation in general.

The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Vietnam shared and supported the proposal of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung on the aspect of local cooperation between the two countries. The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Vietnam has been and is continuing to be ready to coordinate and create necessary support for all cooperation efforts between the two localities, as well as between businesses of the two provinces.

Vice Chairman of the Government of Ulyanovsk province Oleg Kabanov Vladimirovich shared that the cooperative relationship between Nghe An province and Ulyanovsk province has lasted for more than 40 years; at the same time, he expressed his thanks to Nghe An province for dedicating a beautiful and solemn campus in the center of Vinh city to place the VI Lenin monument.

The Vice Chairman of the Government of Ulyanovsk Province said that the two localities not only build a strong friendship, but also strive to develop economic and trade relations. In 2023, the trade turnover between the two provinces reached 1.1 million USD and is trying to increase it by 30-40% in 2024. Ulyanovsk Province is interested in agricultural products, confectionery, beverages... of Nghe An Province.

On that basis, the Vice Chairman of the Government of Ulyanovsk Oblast wishes to establish a commercial building of Nghe An province in Ulyanovsk Oblast and a Vietnam-Russia friendship village in Vinh city. However, to implement this content, there needs to be a direct flight from Nghe An province to Ulyanovsk Oblast. Ulyanovsk Oblast will propose to the Government of the Russian Federation to open this flight route to serve the relationship between the two provinces.

Sharing the strengths in the fields of aircraft, automobile, public machinery, software, logistics... and favorable conditions in terms of transport infrastructure, tax policies, and land, the Vice Chairman of the Government of Ulyanovsk province respectfully invited the provincial leaders and businesses of Nghe An province to visit and work, seeking effective cooperation opportunities in Ulyanovsk province.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung agreed with the opinion that there is still much potential between the two provinces to promote, strengthen and further expand trade and economic relations and said that increasing trade turnover by 30-40% is feasible. For the goods that Ulyanovsk province needs, Nghe An province is always ready and encourages Nghe An enterprises to import goods from Ulyanovsk province such as ice cream, sunflower oil, etc.

Nghe An province supports the construction of the Nghe An provincial commercial building in Ulyanovsk province and the Vietnam - Russia friendship village in Vinh city, and will create conditions for the Vietnam - Russia Friendship Association to implement them in accordance with the regulations of the two countries and the two localities. At the same time, Nghe An agreed to strengthen tourism cooperation along the "red journey" between the two provinces.

Nghe An province will propose to the Central Government to consider opening direct flights from Vinh airport to Ulyanovsk airport. Currently, Nghe An province is also proposing to the Government to allow upgrading and expanding Vinh International Airport to be able to receive large aircraft, thereby increasing flights to other countries.

The head of the provincial People's Committee emphasized that Nghe An province will take advantage of opportunities to participate in activities to strengthen cooperative relations with localities of the Russian Federation, especially Ulyanovsk province.