Soviet-era Tropical Center in Vietnam plays vital role in scientific research

Over the past time, the Hanoi-based Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center plays a vital role in the country's scientific research, local media quoted Doctor of Science Kuznetsov, general director of the Russian side at the center, as saying at a meeting with Vietnamese Defense Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich on July 7.

The center has gained numerous achievements in scientific research and published more than 3,000 scientific articles and 37 monographs, Kuznetsov stressed.

Defense Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich presents certificates of merit to the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre. Photo: VNA

He added that under the two governments’ directions, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Inter-governmental Committee on the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center have developed this center into a multi-sectorial scientific and technological research institution for tropical issues, including tropical material science, tropical ecology, and tropical biomedicine.

For his part, Defense Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich congratulated Russian experts on the 75th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War’s victory.

Applauding the center’s achievements, Lich said the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center is the only bilateral cooperation mechanism of the Soviet Union era that still exists at present, and is a symbol of the sound and fruitful relations between Vietnam and the Soviet Union in the past and Russia today.

The minister also thanked the Russian government for helping this center improve its infrastructure and scientific research capacity.

He stressed that the Vietnamese people and army always attach importance to the enhancement of the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, and consider bilateral ties one of the top priorities of Vietnam’s foreign policy.

Lich asked the center to keep complying with the Vietnamese Party, State, Central Military Commission and Defense Ministry’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.

It should also expand cooperation and improve the effectiveness of scientific and technological activities so as to successfully perform military, defense and socio-economic development tasks in both countries, he added.

The minister also called on the Russian government to further boost activities at the center, and requested Russian experts to keep close coordination with their Vietnamese colleagues to carry out effective scientific and technological programs.

On this occasion, Minister Lich presented merit certificates to the center, General Director of its Vietnamese side Maj. Gen. Dang Hong Trien, and General Director of the Russian side Kuznetsov in recognition of their excellent attainments in the two countries’ scientific and technological cooperation.