Drinking from the same river, youth look to the future.——The Opening Ceremony of the 2023 China-Vietnam Youth Friendship Exchange Activities and the Youth Development Forum are held in Honghe.

On July 15, the opening ceremony and Youth Development Forum of the 2023 China-Vietnam Border Youth Friendship Exchange Activity "Drinking the Same River Water, Youth Towards the Future" were held at the Honghe Academy in Honghe Prefecture, under the guidance of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, and jointly hosted by the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Yunnan Federation of Youth, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Yunnan Provincial People's Government, and the Yunnan People's Association for Foreign Friendship. Dong Xia, Director of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, attended online to deliver a speech; Zhao Panfeng, Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League and Chairman of the Yunnan Federation of Youth, and Wang Yu, Full-time Vice President of the Yunnan People's Association for Foreign Friendship, attended and delivered speeches; Zhao Ruijun, Secretary of the CPC Honghe Prefectural Committee, attended and delivered a welcome speech; the heads of the youth delegations from the four provinces of Vietnam—Hanoi, Hai Duong, Lai Chau, and Dien Bien—attended and spoke; 60 members of the youth delegations from the five provinces of China and Vietnam, along with over 100 youth from all ethnic groups and sectors in Honghe Prefecture, participated in the opening ceremony and the forum.

In her speech, Dong Xia pointed out that in recent years, youth exchanges and cooperation between China and Vietnam have continuously expanded, making positive contributions to inheriting and developing the traditional friendship of "comrades-brothers" carefully nurtured by the first generation of leaders, and promoting the acquaintance, understanding, and affection among the youth of both countries. On the new journey, it is hoped that both sides will work together to implement the important consensus of the leaders of the two parties and the two countries, achieve common development in inheriting and promoting the traditional friendship, and make youthful contributions to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Vietnam and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

In his speech, Zhao Panfeng stated that through past exchanges and cooperation, the youth from the two countries have bonded with each other, built emotional bridges, strengthened the bonds of youth, conveyed sincere friendship, and carried forward excellent traditions. He hopes that both sides will earnestly implement the achievements of the annual meetings between the Party Secretaries of Yunnan Province in China and the four northwestern provinces of Vietnam, deepen mutual understanding, strengthen exchanges, and form a mode of exchange and cooperation that suits the characteristics of the youth in the five provinces, thereby jointly injecting strong momentum into the construction of the China-Vietnam "Belt and Road" and "Two Corridors, One Circle".

In his speech, Wang Yu stated that over the years, the Provincial People's Association for Foreign Friendship has fully played its coordinating and bridging role in the fields of international friendship and people-to-people diplomacy, promoting the continuous development of friendship between Yunnan and Vietnam and consolidating mutual understanding among the people. Moving forward, we will continue to do a good job of "tailor-made" "small yet beautiful" livelihood projects, and to the extent possible, help women and youth in the border regions of Vietnam improve their skills and enhance their well-being, thereby injecting new momentum into the traditional friendship between the people of Yunnan and Vietnam.

In his welcoming speech, Zhao Ruijun expressed a warm welcome to the youth delegation from the four provinces of Vietnam, pointing out that the Red River Delta is connected by mountains and waters, and by people, with a long-standing traditional friendship. He hoped that both sides would seize major opportunities such as the entry into force of RCEP and the construction of the 3.0 version of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area to further promote friendly exchanges among young entrepreneurs and strengthen economic and trade cooperation, thereby showcasing their youthful spirit amid the long-term, stable, and good development of China-Vietnam relations.

Nguyen Hai Dung, head of the youth delegation from Lao Cai Province, Du Thi Xiang, head of the youth delegation from Ha Giang Province, Luo Mingxiao, head of the youth delegation from Lai Chau Province, and Deng Cheng Hui, head of the youth delegation from Dien Bien Province, respectively, delivered speeches. They stated that this event will surely promote new achievements in the exchange and cooperation between the four northwestern provinces of Vietnam and Yunnan Province, benefiting more youth from the five provinces. They hope that all parties will strengthen youth-to-youth exchanges, establish close cooperative relationships, and jointly promote the advancement of the youth movement.

Following the opening ceremony, the China-Vietnam Youth Development Forum, themed "Sharing the Same River Water, Youth Towards the Future," was immediately held. Eight Chinese and Vietnamese youth representatives engaged in in-depth exchanges on topics such as youth work, youth culture, innovation and entrepreneurship, and ecological protection.

Over the next week, the China-Vietnam youth delegation will travel up the Red River (Yuanjiang) to explore its source, visiting places such as Yunnan's Red River, Kunming, and Dali. They will walk through urban streets to experience economic and social development; visit rural communities to feel the achievements of rural revitalization; tour industrial parks to learn about advanced science and technology; and experience intangible cultural heritage projects to savor excellent traditional culture.

It is reported that the China-Vietnam youth friendly exchange activities are an important project for youth exchanges between the two countries. They are a significant measure to implement the outcomes of the annual meetings between the Party Secretaries of Yunnan Province in China and the four northwestern provinces of Vietnam. Aiming to deepen mutual understanding and strengthen cooperation through meetings, forum exchanges, visits, and practical experiences, the activities seek to jointly lay a solid foundation for China-Vietnam friendly exchanges, expand channels for border cooperation and development, and strive to pool youthful strength and make youthful contributions to the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.