Interview: Vietnamese people remember China's help in wars

Vietnamese people always remember China's valuable help in the two wars against the French and the United States, Dr. Tran Khang Chien, vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam-China Friendship Association, told Xinhua recently.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and China. "I am proud that my father, the third Vietnamese ambassador to China, stayed in China for years, contributing to the reinforcement and development of the Vietnamese-Chinese friendship," Chien said, adding that his family members are currently striving to follow suit.

In 1950, the Yunnan military division was assigned to arrange locations and infrastructure for the Vietnam Infantry School to be stationed in the Chinese province of Yunnan. "At that time, Yunnan was just liberalized. Its administration, people and military division faced numerous difficulties. But they tried to enhance logistics and sent veteran lecturers to convey their experiences in fighting and fighting organization to the school's lecturers and learners," Chien said.

At that time, the 4-year-old Chien was brought to Yunnan by his father, major-general Tran Tu Binh who acted as the school's political commissar in the province. "As a child, I witnessed for myself the direct help from the Chinese people for the Vietnamese school during the time it was stationed on the Chinese soil in particular, and for the Vietnamese people in the resistance war against French colonialism in general," Chien recalled.

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu victory in April 2014, Vietnam invited relatives of the Chinese cadres who were sent to Vietnam to help Vietnamese people in the resistance war against French colonialism. When the Chinese delegation visited Ho Chi Minh City, along with other Vietnamese people, Chien received them.

"At that time, I said to the Chinese friends that From 1950 to 1954, with the help of the Chinese people and the Chinese People's Liberation Army, the Vietnam Infantry School stationed in Yunnan trained 10,000 cadres... We always remember that wholehearted help," Chien recalled.

After Dien Bien Phu victory in the summer of 1954, Chien was admitted to the Vietnam Children School stationed in the Chinese city of Guilin and the school received help from the Chinese people. "In 2003, we celebrated the 50th founding anniversary of the school stationed in Guilin. Looking back, we are proud that more than 1,000 pupils have contributed to our fatherland's construction and protection," Chien said.

In April 1959, Chien's father, Tran Tu Binh, became the third Vietnamese ambassador to China. When Binh presented credentials to then Chinese leader Mao Zedong, Mao received him and other Vietnamese cadres of the Vietnamese embassy in a very friendly way. "During my father's term in 1959-1967, he spared no efforts to contribute to reinforcing the friendship between Vietnam and China," Chien said.

At that time, Chinese leader Mao Zedong was very interested in Vietnam's situations, so he always arranged time to receive the Vietnamese Ambassador to hear fighting accounts in Vietnam, Chien said.

In 1965, Chien joined the Vietnamese army. "During the war against the United States, Vietnamese soldiers like me received timely and valuable help from the Chinese people," he said, noting that they got many things, from backpacks to rifles.

Now, working as a vice chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam-China Friendship Association, Chien has organized many tours for former teachers and pupils of the Vietnam Children School to visit Guilin. The Guangxi Pedagogy University has built a friendship house to commemorate Vietnamese schools on Chinese soil. "We have contributed many documents and exhibits to this friendship house," Chien said.

After the house's inauguration in May 2010, Chien and former teachers and pupils visited Guilin again and met with many Chinese war veterans. "I thanked those who came to Vietnam to help us fight against the U.S. imperialists. Vietnamese people always remember that help, considering it a valuable legacy, a foundation for the Vietnamese-Chinese friendship," Chien said.

In June 2013 in Guilin, Chien met with a Chinese war veteran. "I told him that at present, Vietnam and China still have problems, such as the South China Sea dispute which can not be solved overnight. However, we should support agreements reached by the top leaders of the two countries: the issue will be solved via negotiations and diplomatic ways," Chien said.

"When I said that Vietnamese and Chinese people should jointly shoulder responsibility for protecting peace and stability for the benefit of the two nations, he embraced me, indicating agreement with my thought," Chien recalled. Endit