At the meeting, Nguyen Minh Nhut, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society, said the visit provided an important opportunity for both sides to exchange experience in social work, humanitarian activities and social welfare, thereby strengthening friendship between the two countries.

He stressed that Vietnam and China are traditional friendly neighbours, with humanitarian cooperation playing a practical role in promoting sustainable development.

Introducing the society’s activities, Nhut said it has an extensive network and a large volunteer force, focusing on assisting disadvantaged people, providing community healthcare, blood donation campaigns and disaster response.

Following its recent consolidation, the city's Red Cross Society has expanded its operational scope, requiring it to renew its approach in a more professional and modern direction, with greater use of technology, transparency, resource mobilisation and improved assistance services.

“We are particularly interested in exchanging international experience in organising social work, mobilising social resources, building volunteer networks and applying technology to the management and delivery of social services,” he said.

He added that the society also seeks practical solutions to support vulnerable groups amid urbanisation, population aging, climate change and rapid changes in social life.

Nhut expressed his belief that the visit and exchanges with the Chinese delegation would create more opportunities for the two sides to share effective approaches, relevant initiatives and practical experience that could be adapted and applied in their respective contexts, contributing to shared humanitarian values.

For his part, Zhao shared that he was impressed by Ho Chi Minh City’s socio-economic position and population size, noting its role as an economic hub contributing nearly 30% of Vietnam’s GDP.

He spoke highly of the practical contributions made by the Red Cross movement in Ho Chi Minh City, particularly in community healthcare, humanitarian assistance and social welfare. He expressed confidence that traditional ties between Vietnam and China, as well as cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Chinese localities, would continue to deepen.

He also voiced his hope that ties between the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society and the Red Cross Society of China would grow increasingly close, helping strengthen the foundation of friendship and bring the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership into a new phase of more substantive cooperation.

During the meeting, the two sides held in-depth discussions on volunteer recruitment and management, external relations with the international Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, mechanisms for mobilising personnel in emergencies, policies to encourage volunteers, and the implementation of international volunteer projects.

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