Attending the meeting were Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh, Chairman of Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), Ms. Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Director of the Department of International Cooperation (MOCST), representatives of Departments, Divisions and functional units under MOCST and CSTB.

MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong having a meeting with CSTB’s Secretary Kevin Yeung Yun-hung (Photo: TITC)

Warmly welcome the delegation to the MOCST’s headquarter, MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong stressed, Vietnam and China have a close cooperative relationship, Vietnam always attaches importance to culture, sports and tourism cooperation activities with China, including Hong Kong. Through cultural diplomacy and people-to-people exchange activities, thoroughly grasping the common awareness of Vietnam - China senior leaders to deepen and elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership, the two sides have achieved many impressive results in recent times.

In particular, in 1992, the two governments signed a Cultural Cooperation Agreement. On the basis of the Cultural Cooperation Agreement between the two countries, Vietnam MOCST and the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism periodically, based on specific cooperation demands, sign culture and tourism cooperation plans for specific periods. The two sides signed many international agreements and treaties on the occasion of the visit of senior leaders such as Agreement to build cultural centres of one country in another country, Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of cultural industry between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China…

MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong speaking at the meeting (Photo: TITC)

MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong added, after the pandemic, Vietnam has always actively participated in international activities organised by Hong Kong, proactively sent delegations to Hong Kong to work, seek for bilateral cooperation opportunities and introduce the image of the country and people of Vietnam to the people of Hong Kong. In 2024, MOCST will send a number of outstanding students in the arts industry to Hong Kong to study and improve their qualifications.

Regarding the tourism field, China is one of the leading source markets for Vietnamese tourism, accounting for about 30% of the total number of international visitors to Vietnam. Vietnam and China signed a Government-level Tourism Cooperation Agreement in 1994; Agreement on cooperation in protecting and developing tourism resources of Ban Gioc (Vietnam) - Detian (China) waterfalls in 2015. VNAT signed a Memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation with Macau, Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Shandong…

VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh at the meeting (Photo: TITC)

Regarding the sports field, in addition to signing cooperation documents, in 2023, the MOCST sent a football team to compete and welcomed the Hong Kong football team to play a friendly match in Vietnam.

Regarding culture, sports and tourism cooperation in the future, MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong inquired, the Hong Kong side continue to support cultural organisations, art troupes, and cultural and art training schools of the two sides to carry out exchanges and cooperation; increase participation in each other's cultural and artistic events. Vietnam hopes to expand cooperation in developing cultural technology and creative industries with China, including Hong Kong through research and signing of additional cooperation documents. The two sides should regularly discuss, plan cooperation and implement many activities according to the set plans.

Overview of the meeting (Photo: TITC)

MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong hopes that the Hong Kong side creates more favourable conditions for Vietnamese tourists when entering to travel; coordinate and exchange tourism policies between the two sides, loosen visa policies. Along with that, relevant units of Vietnam and Hong Kong need to coordinate in developing tourist routes and building appropriate tourism products.

Mr. Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said, several Vietnamese destinations are increasingly popular and chosen by people in Hong Kong as destinations in their travel itinerary such as Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc,... He hopes that the two sides can research and deploy more cruise tours to meet the demands of tourists, contributing to increasing the number of visitors exchanged between the two sides.

MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong gifting souvenir to CSTB’s Secretary Kevin Yeung Yun-hung (Photo: TITC)

Leaders and delegates taking souvenir photo (Photo: TITC)

Mr. Kevin Yeung Yun-hung also affirmed that MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong's proposals are all valuable initiatives to cultivate culture, sports and tourism cooperation between the two sides. He expressed his hope that after this meeting, the two sides will have the opportunity to organise more cultural promotion activities in Hong Kong and Vietnam, creating favourable conditions for people to understand more about each other's unique culture.

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