Amid 75th anniversary celebrations, a university's visit to Hanoi highlights the human networks behind international relations.
December 3, 2025 | HANOI
While diplomats marked 75 years of China-Vietnam relations with formal ceremonies, a quieter, perhaps more enduring form of bridge-building was taking place across Hanoi this week. A delegation from Guangxi Normal University (GXNU) concluded a three-day visit, reconnecting with a powerful asset: its Vietnamese alumni network.
The trip, timed to the diplomatic anniversary, was less about signing new agreements and more about strengthening human connections. The delegation met graduates now working across Vietnam's education, business, and public sectors, discussing everything from joint research to student exchange programs.
Alumni in the Spotlight
The visit intersected with a higher-profile event: the opening of the Guangxi Culture, Tourism and Technology Exhibition at the China Cultural Center. There, the university helped gather Vietnamese alumni from across Guangxi's universities for a meeting with Guangxi Chairman Wei Tao, symbolically placing people-to-people ties at the center of regional cooperation.
Later, in a more intimate session, 17 GXNU alumni shared stories. Conversations drifted from nostalgia for campus life in Guilin to practical discussions on how their professional networks in Vietnam could create internships or research opportunities for current students.
Studying in Guilin wasn't just about a degree; it was about understanding a culture, shared one alumnus working in educational publishing. Now, we can be the first point of contact for Vietnamese students curious about China, and for Chinese institutions seeking genuine partnership here.
A Living Bridge
The delegation carried a personal invitation from Professor He Zubin, the university's Party committee secretary, urging alumni to come home to campus. This outreach is strategic. With over 10,000 Vietnamese graduates to its name-some of whom were instrumental in establishing Vietnam's only Confucius Institute at Hanoi University-GXNU views its alumni not just as proud graduates, but as active partners.
Alumni are our most credible ambassadors, explained a university representative. They translate policy into practice, and goodwill into genuine collaboration.
As China continues to promote educational internationalization, the focus is increasingly on sustaining long-term engagement. This visit to Hanoi underscores a model where diplomacy is not confined to government halls, but is actively nurtured in the hearts and careers of thousands who have studied across the border. The strongest bridges, it seems, are often built one graduate at a time.
Education Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam along with university representatives and Vietnamese alumni pose for a photo after the exchange session
The delegation visits the alumni-run Yucai Chinese Language Center
The delegation visits the alumni-run Yuan Kui Chinese Training School
Photo by Qin Xiaohe
Written by Sun Zhonghui
Reviewed by Yang Feng, Qin Xiaojie, Li Haoyu