Youth discover Long March legacy

A living bond

Ma's experience was deeply personal, but the sense of historical connection extended beyond her. For other Vietnamese participants, learning about the Long March also evoked memories of their own country's historical struggles and the values shaped by them.

Among the program's activities was The Great Turning Point, an immersive live performance centered on the Zunyi Conference, which was held in Zunyi, Guizhou, in January 1935, and on the experiences of ordinary Red Army soldiers during the Long March.

For Nguyen Thi Le Ngoc, deputy director of the Institute for the Preservation and Promotion of Vietnamese Ethnic Culture, the performance was one of the most moving experiences of the trip.

A veteran performing artist herself, Nguyen stepped onto the stage and joined the actors. At one point, she gently helped a young woman portraying a Red Army soldier straighten her braid. At another, she stood beside a male actor as he raised his fist in a gesture symbolizing revolutionary conviction.

Through the performance, Nguyen felt she was no longer simply observing the Long March from a distance. More importantly, the experience prompted her to reflect on parallels between the historical experiences of China and Vietnam.

She said the Long March reminded her of the national spirit demonstrated by the Vietnamese people during periods of hardship and national defense.

"Although Vietnam and China have different historical experiences, we both value ideals, patriotism, solidarity, the will to overcome difficulties, and the aspiration for a better life," Nguyen said.

If Nguyen found a connection between the two countries through shared historical experiences, younger participants encountered an even more tangible link at the Zunyi Conference Memorial Museum.

There, Chinese student Zhu Lin, 25, was drawn to a photograph among the museum's many images documenting the Long March. It showed Vietnamese General Nguyen Son, also known in China as Hong Shui, who took part in the Chinese Red Army's Long March.

After learning more about his life, Zhu came to see him not simply as a historical figure, but as a link between the two countries and their peoples.

Standing beside her, young Vietnamese participant Vuong Thi Nguyet Anh was also moved by his story and began sharing what she knew about his life in Vietnam.

Their conversation gradually shifted from history to contemporary life. In that moment, a historical figure connecting China and Vietnam became the starting point for a present-day exchange between two young people eager to understand each other better.

"We talked about education and traditional culture in China and Vietnam as socialist countries. It made me feel there is so much we can learn from each other," Zhu said.

The exchange, however, was not designed solely to look back at history.

As the journey moved from Red culture sites to technology centers, factories and villages, participants also had opportunities to observe different aspects of China's contemporary development.

These visits broadened the trip from revolutionary history to questions of technological innovation, environmental protection and rural development.

For 22-year-old Vietnamese participant Le Van Dai, that shift left a particularly strong impression.

During a visit to a tire factory, Le paid close attention to a system designed to reduce pollution during the manufacturing process. Seeing the system in operation gave him a more concrete understanding of China's efforts to balance industrial development with environmental protection.

"This small detail shows the wisdom of China's ecological civilization," he said, adding that such practices could offer useful lessons for similar industries in Vietnam.

Later, during a visit to an ecological village, Le was struck by something different: young people who had returned from major cities and were using skills such as digital marketing for agricultural products to contribute to local development.

Seeing young Chinese people bring their professional knowledge back to their hometowns prompted him to consider whether similar ideas could inspire young people in Vietnam.

For Le, the value of the five-day journey lay not only in what he had seen in China, but also in what he hoped to take home and share with others.

"By gaining a deeper understanding of China, I am more determined to become a small bridge, sharing what I have truly seen in China with young people in Vietnam," Le said, adding that he hopes to return to China in the future.