BEIJING, April 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- "At present, China's relations with its neighboring countries are at their best in modern times, and are also entering a critical phase of deep linkage between the regional landscape and the world changes" – the recent Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries held in Beijing made such a profound judgment. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia from April 14 to 18, highlighting the guiding role of head-of-state diplomacy in neighborhood relations. In the first volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, President Xi emphasized that China's basic policy of diplomacy with neighboring countries is characterized by "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness."

In the third installment of the "Decoding the Book of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" series, the Global Times continues to invite Chinese and international scholars, translators of the work, practitioners of its concepts, and overseas readers to share their insights, understandings and reflections on the ideas of China's neighborhood diplomacy, which emphasizes amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, China's advocacy for building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries as well as its vision of creating a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home.

This is the third story of the "Practitioners' Insights" column, which tells the story of Duong Thanh Hung, a Vietnamese driver of the Hanoi Light Rail Line 2A and the Chinese company that undertook the construction of this line, to shed light on how a light rail strengthens the friendship between China and Vietnam.

"What we pursue is the wellbeing of both the Chinese people and the people of all other countries," Xi Jinping, Chinese president and general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasized in "China's Diplomacy Must Befit Its Major-Country Status" of the second volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. In Vietnam's Hanoi, a light rail line constructed by a Chinese company has transformed the lives of locals, demonstrating China's commitment to pursuing shared wellbeing with people in neighboring countries.

Chinese 'kung fu' under brimmed hat

On the streets of Hanoi, the motorcycles are rumbling; above the hustle and bustle, an "iron dragon" shuttles along the elevated tracks in the city. The two are intertwined, forming the unique transportation network of this city. The Hanoi Light Rail Line 2A in Vietnam, or Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line, is a main line in the urban rail network of Hanoi. About 13 kilometers long with 12 stations, the line uses Chinese technology and standards. Constructed by China Railway Sixth Group Viet Nam Co., Ltd, the line commenced operations in November 2021. As Vietnam's first urban light rail, it stands as a testament to the deepening friendship between Chinese and Vietnamese people.

At the starting station of the Hanoi Light Rail, Global Times reporters met Duong Thanh Hung. As one of the first light rail drivers in Vietnam, Duong Thanh Hung is tall and clad in a crisp black uniform, a brimmed hat, a bright red tie, and spotless leather shoes. He is energetic – that's the first impression of the reporters.

Duong Thanh Hung guided the reporters into the driver's cabin, a small space filled with various instruments and buttons, and introduced, "This is the core area of the main control console…the sprinkler, the electric horn. Over there, those are the high acceleration and reset buttons." With his hand on the joystick in the center of the command console, Duong Thanh Hung said "This is the main controller, just like the steering wheel of a train." His adeptness was evident throughout the demonstration.

In 2014, Duong Thanh Hung encountered an important opportunity in his life. The Hanoi Metro Company was selecting the first batch of drivers for the Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line. He applied and was selected as one of 37 trainees. That year, 28-year-old Duong Thanh Hung went to Beijing for training.

The one-year intensive training on the Batong Line of Beijing Subway became unforgettable memory for him. "What struck me the most was the morning and evening rush hours – I never thought that the subway could carry so many passengers!"

Upon arrival in China, there were language difficulty and culture shock, making Duong Thanh Hung even more grateful for his Chinese mentor, who provided meticulous help and patiently answered his questions on daily life as well as the training.

The training had two parts: theory and operation. In theory classes, the teacher gave lectures and there were exams afterward. After passing the exams, the trainees entered operation phase, where one mentor instructed one trainee. 

"Zhang Yuelan, that is the name of my mentor," Duong Thanh Hung immediately responded when asked whether he still remembered the name of his Chinese mentor after a decade. "A teacher for one day should be treated like a father for life. Receiving selfless teaching in a foreign country, I have always remembered this profound relationship."

Although the train was parked at the station, Duong Thanh Hung's eyes were closely fixed on the front during the conversation, maintaining vigilance at all times. His left hand rested near the walkie-talkie, and his right hand on the joystick – the mark left by his 10 years of experience, and it also stems from the teachings of his Chinese mentor on the concept of "responsibility."

"We need to help neighbors in times of crisis, treat them as equals, visit them frequently, and take actions that will win us support and friendship," Xi wrote on China's neighborhood diplomacy in the first volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China.

Duong Thanh Hung is one of countless Vietnamese people who are hardworking, humble, carrying a dream of building a better future for their country. With the advancement of China-Vietnam practical cooperation, more and more people like him are able to realize their dreams. According to Wang Hongwei, head of marketing department at China Railway Sixth Group Viet Nam Co., Ltd, more than 600 personnel from the Vietnamese operating company have been sent to China for training, including drivers, train attendants, and station maintainers.

The fast and efficient 'Chinese dragon'

As of April 1, 2025, the Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line has transported approximately 35 million passengers. Among three subway lines opened in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, it has the shortest construction time, the lowest investment cost per kilometer, and the highest operational stability.

Deng Yan, a native of Central China's Hunan Province, witnessed the entire process of laying the track for this subway line. Deng joined the light rail project department in 2015 as an assistant translator, responsible for coordinating on-site construction scheduling, communicating with Vietnamese owners, supervision teams, and local residents, and handling various issues.

What impressed Deng most was when they were erecting girders and building bridges. From mid-2015, the construction of the light rail entered a "tough battle" mode. "We began work after 10 pm and kept working until 5 am the next morning. Every night when I looked up, there were stars. It might sound romantic, but in reality, it was a 'high-intensity' challenge – the schedule was tight, the task was heavy, and it felt like a war," Deng recalled.

From initial preparations to the erection of the last girder, Deng and his team worked for over a year. In October 2016, more than 800 girders were erected, and the entire line was completed. "At that moment, it was more than a sigh of relief for everyone."

"Erecting girders is like assembling building blocks. It requires a high level of technical expertise and involves considerable risks," Deng explained. Factors such as thermal expansion and contraction due to the weather, height differences, gradients, and flatness, if only one parameter fails to meet the standard, it could potentially lead to a series of subsequent safety hazards. "Our construction error range is controlled within the millimeter level. If the girders are not properly erected, all the subsequent work will be in vain."

On November 6, 2021, the Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line officially began operation. At the beginning of the construction, the project was once faced with some criticism from Western media. "Watching the train running in Hanoi like a giant dragon, I am so proud of our country and Chinese company. All the hard work over the years was truly worthwhile," Deng said.

"After the line was opened, the rumors collapsed on their own. On social media, Vietnamese netizens began comparing the three light rail lines built by China, Japan, and France: What was the cost per kilometer, how long the construction took, and so on. After all three lines were opened, the Vietnamese people can tell clearly who offers a lower price, which line has better performance, and who treats them with sincerity – they have a fair judgment in their hearts."

'Teach people how to fish'

According to Wang Hongwei, from the project's approval to its delivery, they supported the Hanoi Railways Company Limited in every detail to ensure the smooth operation of the light rail. In addition to delivering equipment, the Chinese side also imparted a complete set of technologies and management models, demonstrating the true spirit of "teaching people how to fish."

"We even planted trees and ensure they grow in the park area. Even though the project was delivered long ago, they still often come to us for help," Wang said, jokingly comparing himself to a "24-hour after-sales service provider."

"After the Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line was launched, people from the lines built by France and Japan also came to learn from us. Many of the Vietnamese drivers who were trained in China now hold leadership positions or serve as trainers on the other two lines. The concept of 'teaching people how to fish' lives on."

At the Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries held on April 8-9, 2025, Xi highlighted that China's vast territory and long borders make its neighborhood a vital foundation for achieving development and prosperity, a key front for safeguarding national security, a priority area in managing overall diplomacy, and a crucial link in promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

This light rail in Hanoi has significantly improved the lives of Hanoi residents. The most practical change is the convenience of travel - it took more than one or even two hours to travel the approximately 13-kilometer journey during the morning and evening rush hours, but now it only takes 20 minutes. Many residents have purchased monthly passes, and the commuting time from the suburbs to the city center has been cut by more than half.

Nguyen Thanh Ha, a Vietnamese employee who has been working for China Railway Sixth Group Viet Nam Co., Ltd for 10 years, said that with the light rail, the surrounding commercial and residential areas saw rapid development, and the living standards of her family have improved accordingly. "We can get various services and goods more conveniently, and it has also brought more job opportunities."

Reporters observed that many people on the light rail were traveling with family. Different from the "commuter trains" for office workers, there were many children aged four or five years old, and their laughter lit up the carriage.

On the train, reporters met 73-year-old Vietnamese man, who called himself Dat, and his wife, who were chatting with friends and heading downtown for a leisurely outing. "Before the light rail, we rarely went to the downtown for fun because the transportation was really inconvenient," Dat said. "It's too dangerous for the elderly to ride a motorcycle. Thanks to the Chinese company for helping build the Hanoi light rail, which allows everyone to travel with peace of mind."

Construction of the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway project linking Vietnam's northern regions to Southwest China's Yunnan Province will begin by the end of 2025, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Just like what Xi said in the second volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the connectivity endeavor are compatible and mutually reinforcing. If the Belt and the Road are likened to the two wings of a soaring Asia, then connectivity represents its arteries and veins.

Wang told the Global Times that the construction of the Lao Cai-Hanoi-Haiphong railway will accelerate integration between China's BRI and Vietnam's Two Corridors and One Economic Circle strategy, and meet the demand for high-quality, fast, convenient and safe transportation. "As we often say, this is not just about building a railway; it is about paving the road of friendship between the two countries."

This article first appeared in Global Times: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1332498.shtml