Defense Minister visits Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center

Minister of National Defense General Ngo Xuan Lich congratulated Russian experts on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War during his visit to the Hanoi-based Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center on July 7.

General Ngo Xuan Lich and the center’s leaders

After touring some labs in the center, General Lich and his entourage were briefed on the center’s accomplishments in scientific and technological studies by Doctor Andrey Kuznetsov, General Director of the Russian side at the center.

Under the directions of the two governments, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and the Inter-governmental Committee for the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center has developed the center into a multi-sectorial scientific and technological research organization for tropical issues, such as tropical materials, tropical ecology, and tropical biomedicine.

So far, the center has achieved outstanding results in researching and understanding the primitive tropical forest and coastal ecosystems and their changes under the impacts of humanity, identifying the status and changes of shallow ecosystems after the chemical war in Vietnam. It has also reaped good results in studying consequences of the chemical war in Vietnam, clarifying the ecological impacts of Agent Orange/Dioxin, and applying science and technology to using and maintaining technical equipment and weapons equipped for military corps and arms.

As of now, the center has published over 3,000 scientific articles and 37 monographs. Furthermore, nine staff members of the center have defended scientific doctoral dissertations, while over 50 others have defended doctoral theses.

At the meeting, General Lich highly valued the center’s accomplishments considering them valuable contributions to each country’s development in terms of science, technology, economy, society, defense and security. These achievements have also contributed to consolidating the time-honored friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia.

General Ngo Xuan Lich and other delegates visited the laboratory of Tropical Center

The Vietnamese Defense Minister stressed that the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center is the only bilateral cooperation mechanism of the former Soviet Union era that still exists at present. According to General Lich, the center is a symbol of the sound and flourishing relations between Vietnam and the Soviet Union in the past and Russia today.

General Lich underscored that Vietnamese people and military always keep in mind the wholehearted and great assistance from the Soviet Union and Russian people in the national salvation cause in the past and the current national construction and protection cause.

On the occasion, General Lich thanked the Russian Government for their support to improve the scientific study capabilities of the center and for their presentation of a mobile laboratory which has effectively contributed to the national COVID-19 control efforts.

The Vietnamese defense chief also took this chance to express deep thanks to the Russian Ambassador, heads of representative offices of the Russian Embassy in Vietnam, and the Russian scientists for their effective cooperation in the spirit of equality and mutual benefits. He hoped that they would make more contributions to enhance the bilateral defense ties and military technical cooperation in line with the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.

Stating that the Party, State, Government, Ministry of National Defense, and People’s Army of Vietnam have always attached much importance to developing the friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia and that the bilateral ties are one of the leading priorities in the country’s foreign policy, General Lich hoped that the two countries will maintain exchanges of high-level delegations and visits and join hands in organizing activities in the Vietnam-Russia and Russia-Vietnam Year 2019-2020.

General Ngo Xuan Lich presents merit certificates to the center and Major General Dang Hong Trien and Doctor of Science Kuznetsov A.N

General Lich also asked the center to continue embracing and realizing the Vietnamese Party, State, Central Military Commission, and Ministry of National Defense’s policies and guidelines on scientific and technological development, the two countries’ agreement on the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, and the protocols amending this deal.

General Lich also called on the Russian Government to instruct its relevant ministries and sectors to promote scientific and technological activities within the framework of the center, and Russian experts to work closely with their Vietnamese colleagues to carry out effective scientific and technological programs.The center should promote its internal power, expand cooperation, and improve the efficiency of scientific and technological activities to serve each country’s performance of military, defense, and socio-economic development. It should also strive to build the center into a prestigious scientific and technological research facility in the region and the world.

On the occasion, General Lich presented merit certificates to the center, and the General Directors from the Vietnamese and Russian sides at the center Major General Dang Hong Trien and Scientific Doctor Andrey Kuznetsov in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the two countries’ scientific and technological cooperation, and their contributions to develop the bilateral relations and comprehensive strategic partnership of the two countries.

General Lich also presented gifts to Russian cadres and experts at the center on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War.

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh congratulated Russian officials and experts working at Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center.

Source: PNA