The 2024 Vietnam - China Friendship Scholarship Award Ceremony

On the afternoon of December 5, 2024, the 2024 Vietnam - China Friendship Scholarship Award Ceremony took place successfully, in the context of steadily developing Vietnam - China relations across multiple fields, as the two countries move toward the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties (1950–2025) and the Viet Nam - China Year of Humanistic Exchange 2025. As part of the program, Acting Director of the Diplomatic Academy, Dr. Nguyen Hung Son, together with the Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. He Wei, awarded 45 scholarships worth a total of 450 million VND to students studying Chinese with outstanding academic performance, as well as those who have overcome difficult circumstances to excel in their studies.

Attending the 2024 Vietnam - China Friendship Scholarship Award Ceremony on behalf of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam were Dr. Nguyen Hung Son - Acting President of the Academy; Mr. Phan Vu Tuan Anh -  Head of the Faculty of Chinese Language; Mr. Nguyen Tuan Hiep – Head of the Students Affairs Office; Ms. Hoang Mai Huong – Head of the Education and Training Undergraduate Affairs; Mr. Tran Huu Duy Minh – Secretary of the Academy’s Youth Union and Deputy Head of the Faculty of International Law; Mr. Nguyen Vinh Thanh – Representative of the Faculty of International Economics; and Ms. Le Hien Trang – Representative of the Faculty of International Politics and Diplomacy

On the side of the Embassy of China - the sponsor of the Vietnam - China Friendship Scholarship, the Diplomatic Academy was honored to welcome Mr. He Wei, Ambassador of China to Vietnam, together with a delegation from the Chinese Embassy, including Mr. Gui Xinrui – Head of the Political Department, Ms. Zhangtong – Third Secretary, and Ms. Wang Ruina – Third Secretary. This also marked the first official visit of Ambassador Ha Wei, the newly appointed Ambassador of China to Vietnam, to the Diplomatic Academy.

Prior to the ceremony, Acting President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, Dr. Nguyen Hung Son, met with Ambassador He Wei and the delegation from the Embassy of China for a courtesy call aimed at strengthening mutual understanding and discussing potential areas of future cooperation between the Academy and the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam.

During the meeting, Dr. Son expressed his sincere appreciation to the Embassy of China for its continued support and conveyed the Academy’s desire to further deepen bilateral collaboration. Ambassador He Wei affirmed this intention and highlighted that 2025 marks the Viet Nam - China Year of Humanistic Exchange, expressing his hope that the Diplomatic Academy would play an important role within the framework of cooperation between the two countries.

In addition, during the ceremony, Ms. Pham Lan Dung, Vice Chairwomen of the Academy Council and former Acting President of the Academy, also greeted Ambassador He Wei warmly. The cordial and open atmosphere of the meeting signaled promising opportunities for strengthening future cooperation between the two sides.

At the opening of the Scholarship Award Ceremony, Acting President Dr. Nguyen Hung Son expressed his profound gratitude to the Chinese Embassy for its continuous support for generations of DAV students throughout their academic journey and personal development. This year marks the third cycle of the Vietnam - China Friendship Scholarship. Notably, in 2024, the Chinese Embassy increased the number of scholarships by 150%, raising the total value to 450 million VND.

This remarkable increase not only provides strong motivation for talented students and those overcoming difficult circumstances, but also reflects the clear goodwill and support of China towards Vietnamese students, particularly those at the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam, marking a meaningful milestone of friendship.

Amid the context of frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries and expanding cooperation across many fields in recent years, Dr. Nguyen Hung Son expressed his hope that DAV students will become future diplomats and cultural bridges between Viet Nam and China, contributing positively to the growth of this special bilateral relationship.

On behalf of the Embassy of China, Ambassador He Wei shared that the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam is the first reputable educational institution he visited after assuming his post. The Vietnam - China Friendship Scholarship program is built upon the shared cultural values of respecting teachers, valuing education, and the tradition of encouraging learning in both countries, aiming to support outstanding students in completing their studies and achieving early success in their careers.

On this occasion, Ambassador He Wei also recalled the long-standing and positive relationship between Vietnam and China, nurtured over decades of nation-building, Party development, and military cooperation. He highlighted the role of the current generation of students as “trainees of the Revolutionary Youth League traveling through time to the present,” “carrying the sacred mission of leading Vietnam into a new era, the era of national resurgence, realizing the centennial goals of Party and country formation,” and “inheriting and promoting the legacy of friendship established by previous generations of leaders.”

The Ambassador further emphasized the strong development of bilateral cooperation across many fields, particularly in education and cultural exchanges. He also referred to the remarks of General Secretary Xi Jinping during his visit to Vietnam in 2023, stating that “the root of China - Vietnam friendship lies with the people, and the future lies with the youth.” Ambassador He Wei expressed his hope that students would continue to study diligently, improve themselves, contribute to national development, carry forward Vietnam - China friendship, and actively participate in building a shared future for both countries.

During the ceremony, Dr. Nguyen Hung Son presented gifts reflecting the culture of Vietnam and the Diplomatic Academy to the delegation from the Embassy of China. The ceremony then proceeded to its main segment. Within the framework of the Vietnam - China Friendship Scholarship Award, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China sponsored 45 scholarships (each valued at 10 million VND) for students: 21 Chinese language students with excellent academic performance and significant community contributions, and 24 students facing financial difficulties who have strived to excel in their studies.

The images of students receiving their scholarships from Acting President Dr. Nguyen Hung Son and Ambassador He Wei illustrate the joint commitment of both the Diplomatic Academy and the Chinese Embassy to student development, fostering connections between the youth of the two countries.

On behalf of the scholarship recipients, Nguyen Thi Hoai Thuong, a 48th-course student majoring in International Relations, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity provided to students through this prestigious scholarship. She emphasized that it serves as a motivation to continue contributing, to nurture their passion for the Chinese language and culture, and to strive to become future diplomats and cultural bridges between the youth of both countries.

The 2024 Vietnam - China Friendship Scholarship Award Ceremony concluded successfully. It is hoped that these scholarships will provide students with opportunities to excel academically, actively participate in upcoming friendship activities, and further strengthen the close relationship between the two nations.