Vietnam-China friendship through music: Highlights from 2026 cultural exchange

The 2026 singing festival follows the success of the 2024 and 2025 editions held at VOV Headquarters in Hanoi.

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The festival is part of the annual cooperation programme between VOV and China’s broadcasting organisations.

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The programme helps promote cultural exchange and strengthen mutual understanding and ties between the peoples of Vietnam and China.

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In his opening remarks, VOV Deputy Director General Ngo Minh Hien expresses confidence that the heartfelt performances by Vietnamese and Chinese artists will move audiences and further strengthen the two countries’ longstanding bonds of friendship and solidarity.

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Kong Xianling, Director of the Radio and Television Bureau of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, delivers welcoming remarks at the concert.

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The opening performance, Dat Nuoc Loi Ru (Lullaby of the Homeland), featuring singer Trang Bui and a traditional orchestra, sets the tone for an evening of musical and cultural exchange.

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Music serves as a bridge between cultures, helping nurture the longstanding friendship between Vietnam and China.

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Artists from Vietnam and China deliver performances showcasing the diversity of their musical traditions.

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The concert provides opportunities for artists of different generations to connect and learn from one another.

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The programme offers a space for audiences to share familiar melodies, memories and emotions through music.

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The annual festival has become a meaningful cultural exchange, bringing artists and audiences from the two countries closer together.

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The 2026 edition continues efforts to strengthen cooperation between media organisations and promote people-to-people exchanges and cultural collaboration.

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Familiar melodies transcend language barriers, fostering greater understanding and closer ties between the peoples of Vietnam and China.

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Chinese singer Liu Changshuir performs China in the Lights, a song reflecting the country's contemporary spirit.

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Meritorious Artist Phan Thu Lan performs Chiec Khan Pieu (The Pieu Scarf), bringing the vibrant sounds and spirit of Vietnam's north-western mountains to the audience.

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Chinese soprano Yuan Ye, a recipient of the Golden Bell Award, China's top music award, performs Happiness of Heaven and Earth.

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Chinese singer Li Zhuoxuan and Vietnamese singer Gemma Nguyen perform Let Friendship Soar Together with the choir of the National University of Arts Education, closing the concert with a celebration of friendship, peace and cooperation.