On the afternoon of July 15, 2021, a delegation led by Vu Viet Anh, the consul general of Consulate General of Vietnam in Guangzhou, paid a visit to the China Center for Special Economic Zone Research (CCSEZR), Shenzhen University (SZU) and the Belt and Road Research Institute (Shenzhen) for International Cooperation and Development (BRRIICD). Prof. Li Yonghua, Vice President of SZU, was entrusted by Prof. Li Qingquan, president of SZU and Secretary of Party Committee at SZU to meet the delegation. The representatives from SZU included Prof. Tao Yitao (Director of CCSEZR and also President of BRRI), Han Shuixian (Director of SZU International Office), Prof. Yuan Yiming (Deputy Director of CCSEZR), and Prof. Pan Yanchun (President of College of International Exchange, SZU).
Vice President Li Yonghua extended a warm welcome on behalf of SZU to the delegation. He said that China and Vietnam are friendly neighbors bond by the camaraderie and brotherhood that has been nurtured by former leaders of the two countries, so the delegation’s visit has a special significance at the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Mr. Li also introduced SZU’s efforts in teaching, scientific research, and talent development, particularly the unique historical contributions that SZU has made as the first comprehensive university in Shenzhen to China’s reform and opening up and to the development of Shenzhen.
Consul General Vu Viet Anh thanked SZU for giving high priority to his visit and Vice President Li Yonghua for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with him. He also expressed his sincere admiration for the great achievements made by SZU in the past 38 years. He expected more frequent and close interactions between Vietnam and Chinese universities, especially the SZU, under President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, and promised that the Consulate General of Vietnam in Guangzhou will provide necessary convenience and services. After the meeting, both sides exchanged gifts and took group photos.
After their meeting, the two sides held a colloquium. Prof. Tao Yitao was the facilitator, and Prof. Yuan Yiming, Prof. Pan Yanchun, Gu Wei (Deputy President of College of International Exchange, SZU), and Prof. Li Fan (assistant to the director of CCSEZR) attended the colloquium.
Prof. Tao stressed that CCSEZR and herself had a strong link and deep friendship with Vietnam and its current Prime Minister Fan Mingzheng. As early as 2012, Prime Minister Fan visited Shenzhen University and later the CCSEZR for several times. Prof. Tao has led a delegation to visit Vietnam and helped the latter plan for SEZ development. In 2014, CCSEZR and Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, jointly held the World Special Economic Zone Development Forum in Ha Long, capital city of Quang Ninh. The forum received wide attention of all walks of life in Vietnam thanks to the excellent planning of Fan Mingzheng, the then secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Branch of Quang Ninh. In 2015, Prof. Tao as the Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Shenzhen University and the director of CCSEZR, accompanied Hu Chunhua, the then Secretary of Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPC to the Vietnam-China Trade Fair in Hanoi City. She signed an agreement for the Party and government cadres of Quang Ninh to visit Shenzhen University for learning Shenzhen SEZ experience. Since then, Quang Ninh has sent people to Shenzhen University to learn the successful experience of Shenzhen SEZ and pay field visits. However, all these communications were moved online in 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19.
Prof. Tao jokingly said that the consul generals of Consulate General of Vietnam in Guangzhou are the best messengers of China-Vietnam friendship, and every visit of these consul generals to the CCSEZR since 2011 is followed by the promotion of our old friend Fan Zhiming, which indicates that our cooperation will go deeper.
The consul general Vu Viet Anh said that it is a great honor to visit Shenzhen University and meet everyone present here. 20 years ago, most students prefer to study in Europe and America, but nowadays China becomes the largest study abroad destination and more and more Vietnam students wish to study in China as Chinese education’s global impact keeps growing. Vu said Shenzhen reflects the success of China’s reform and opening-up and Shenzhen University contributes greatly to the success of this city. He believed that Vietnam can draw on experience from Shenzhen University’s talent nurturing approaches. In addition, Vu expressed his admiration to the achievement made by the CCSEZR.
While Prof. Yuan Yiming introduced the history, research achievements and status quo on talent fostering of CCSEZR, the consul general listened with great interest and raised questions from time to time.
President Pan Yanchun introduced the talent exchange of the College of International Exchange SZU. When he mentioned that there were 8 Vietnamese students studying at SZU, including doctoral ones, the consul general indicated that he would actively promote the talent exchange program to encourage more Vietnamese youths to study at SZU.
Gu Wei, Vice President of the College of International Exchange SZU, elaborated on the requirements for recruiting international students and scholarship policies. Prof. Tao also added the Belt and Road Scholarship Program set up by BRRI.
The meeting concluded amidst an amiable atmosphere. Prof. Tao, President Pan and the consul general unanimously agreed that today marks a good beginning and CCSEZR, BRRI and the Consulate General of Vietnam in Guangzhou will keep maintaining good relationships to make unremitting efforts for common development and prosperity.
