The 3rd China-Vietnam Youth Festival concluded in a grand gala in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, on Nov. 9. [Photo by Mi Xingang/China.org.cn]

The 3rd China-Vietnam Youth Festival concluded with a grand art performance in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, on Nov. 9. During the three-day event, some 1,000 Chinese delegates visited six northern provinces in Vietnam and witnessed how its burgeoning economy has benefited from reform over the past 30 years. The Vietnamese people showed great hospitality and warmth and the bilateral friendship was greatly enhanced through visits, forums, art performances and various activities.

At the grand performance attended by 5,000 young people from both countries, Qin Yizhi, first secretary of the Central Committee of Communist Youth League of China, quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping's words urging youths in both countries to make contributions to building up a Chinese-Vietnamese community with a common future, and hand down the friendship generation after generation.

Young people from both countries waved flags, beat bamboos and sang together in an extremely warm atmosphere during the performance. The Chinese art troupe presented A Moonlit Night on the Spring River, Jasmine Flower and other classic cultural products, which roused great enthusiasm among Vietnamese young people.

Forums themed with sustainable development and cultural inheritance resonated in the hearts of the young people from both countries. "As we drink water from the same river, we need to take actions hand in hand to protect our environment," said Yang Zhiling, the secretary of the Chongzuo Municipal Committee of Communist Youth League in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, during a forum on sustainability held in Lang Son on Nov. 8. Her speech won rounds of applause as she spoke fluent Chinese and Vietnamese.

Mi Nguyen, a Vietnamese college student majoring in Chinese language, expressed that learning Chinese is now popular among young people. Many students choose to learn Chinese as they see China's prosperity and they are eager to go to China's metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai, she said. Chinese communication applications like QQ and WeChat are popular among these students and they all have many Chinese friends, she added. Wei Yandan, a Vietnamese teacher and translator from a college in Guangxi, also noted that more Vietnamese students come to learn Chinese in her college and their parents support them to a great extent to do so.

During their daily talks, young people from both countries shared common concerns about the high living pressures in large cities. Apart from house prices, a Vietnamese youth mentioned that if they want to buy motorbikes in cities, they should have registered permanent residences, just like China's hukou, or household registration. College students from the countryside in Vietnam are also envious of those from large cities due to the high housing prices. Discussing worries can help us release pressure, said a Chinese delegate.

A farewell ceremony was held at the railway station in Hanoi on Nov. 10. Delegates from both sides were reluctant to part, hugging and weeping together. "As a Chinese saying goes: If there is a bond between them, the two will meet across a thousand miles," said Nguyen at the station.

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