In a recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa, former deputy director of the Institute for Chinese Studies and deputy editor-in-chief of the China Studies Journal, offered a series of thoughtful proposals aimed at deepening and expanding people-to-people engagement between the two countries.

According to Hoa, efforts to strengthen these ties must proceed on two mutually reinforcing levels – high and grassroots. At the high level, clearly articulated policies and frameworks are essential. At the grassroots level, tangible and practical initiatives must be pursued to foster direct human connection. Together, these dimensions cultivate trust, enhance mutual understanding, and build resilient bonds between the peoples of both countries.

True friendship among nations, Hoa emphasised, must rest on a foundation of mutual respect, genuine understanding, and accurate perceptions. To this end, public information and outreach efforts must be broad-based and coordinated across various ministries, sectors, and organisations in both countries. Crucially, these initiatives should not be limited to government efforts alone. Civil society actors – academics, artists, entrepreneurs, and community – must also play an active role.

Traditionally, people-to-people exchanges have focused on culture, education, and health care. Moving forward, however, these foundations should be expanded to include fields such as economy, science, technology, and environmental sustainability. Among these, economic cooperation stands out as particularly vital, serving as a concrete channel for deepening connections between the two populations.

When Vietnamese consumers gain access to high-quality Chinese goods, it not only satisfies market demands but also enhances China’s image in Vietnam. Conversely, the growing appreciation of Vietnamese agricultural products and exports among Chinese consumers fosters goodwill and reinforces trust, she went on.

Investment also plays an important role. If Chinese enterprises operating in Vietnam commit themselves to sustainable and socially responsible practices—creating jobs, protecting the environment, and contributing to local development—they can significantly improve public perceptions of China in Vietnam. Thus, investment should be seen not only in economic terms, but also as a powerful means of cultivating bilateral friendship, according to the expert.

Looking to the future, Hoa underscored the need for more targeted sectoral cooperation to enrich people-to-people ties. Agriculture, for instance, offers immense potential. Given the strong agricultural trade between the two countries, exchanges between Vietnamese and Chinese farmers should be held and cover cultivation techniques, post-harvest processing, and innovative production models. Such exchanges would generate valuable community-level connections and bolster the social fabric of the bilateral relationship.

Tourism presents another practical avenue. Making travel to China more accessible for Vietnamese citizens would be a forward-looking step. While China currently offers visa exemptions to nationals of 47 countries, Vietnam could encourage Beijing to consider visa-free or low-fee entry for Vietnamese travellers to further facilitate tourism, educational exchange, and cultural understanding.

Hoa added Vietnam has already made strides in advancing people-to-people diplomacy. The Vietnam – China People’s Forum is one notable example. Modest in scale, the forum still gathers dedicated scholars, professionals, and long-standing advocates of bilateral cooperation. These gatherings serve as platforms for candid and constructive dialogue on the challenges and opportunities facing the relationship, and offer concrete and sector-specific recommendations.

To broaden the impact of such initiatives, it is also important to leverage the voices of influential public figures, media personalities, and social media influencers to engage the public, especially younger generations. At the same time, communications must be extended to traditionally less-involved groups such as farmers, industrial workers, and other labour sectors. Accessible communication strategies should be employed to help these communities better understand China and the evolving dynamics of bilateral cooperation. By diversifying target audiences, people-to-people exchange mechanisms can become more inclusive and resilient.

As the People’s Daily of China has noted the foundation of the China – Vietnam relationship lies in the people. The close interaction between citizens of both nations forms a vital current in the river of friendship—one that contributes to a community of shared future that carries strategic significance. The Year of Humanistic Exchange 2025 presents a timely and valuable opportunity to deepen mutual understanding, enhance public awareness of the traditional friendship, and further solidify the societal foundation of bilateral ties in a new period, she remarked.

Vietnam, China work to promote tourism, people-to-people exchanges

Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam He Wei has discussed efforts to boost infrastructure connectivity, tourism cooperation, and cultural exchange between the two countries in a recent interview with a special programme by the Voice of China.