Nearly 200 young Vietnamese participants joined a cultural and educational exchange in southwest China's Yunnan Province to strengthen China-Vietnam friendship and explore future cooperation.

In Jianshui County of Yunnan, which borders Vietnam, the young participants of the "Red Study Tours", including university students, government officials, and entrepreneurs, learned to make traditional Jianshui purple clay pottery using a 200-year-old technique recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China.

Many described the hands-on experience as both novel and rewarding.

"This is my achievement," said Tran Thuy Nga, General Manager of investment firm BIG Group, while proudly holding her pottery work.

In addition to cultural workshops, the group visited historic sites symbolizing the longstanding ties between the two countries, including the century-old Yunnan-Vietnam Railway, which connects southwest China with Vietnam's port city of Haiphong.

Reflecting on the experience, Vietnamese participants said the program deepened their appreciation for Chinese culture and strengthened their understanding of the historical bonds between the two nations.

"I was fascinated by Chinese culture. While our two countries share many cultural similarities, Chinese culture has its own unique characteristics that I found very appealing. Whether it was the local cuisine or folk songs, everything left a strong impression on me," said Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, staff member at Lao Cai Newspaper and Radio-Television Station.

"Through this program, I have gained a much deeper understanding of President Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary activities in Yunnan. The more I learn, the more I appreciate and respect this friendship, and I feel this friendship from both the government and the people," said Tran Dinh Huy, founder of Ban Viet North-Central-South Tourism Company.

Launched in May 2025, the "Red Study Tours" initiative seeks to facilitate exchanges between young people in China and Vietnam, highlighting shared revolutionary history and cultural heritage.

"I believe the future lies with the young people. Going forward, we should expand cooperation in more fields, using small-scale initiatives to achieve broader impact. Whether in education exchanges, entrepreneurship or joint projects, I see great potential," said Qi Xiao, an official of the Communist Youth League of Yunnan Province.