Vietnam and China have highlighted the important role and position of culture in their modernisation and reform.

This was declared at a three-day workshop on Vietnamese and Chinese experiences in cultural development, in the context of the market economy and international integration, that closed in the central city of Da Nang on Sept. 10.

Phung Huu Phu, member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC), permanent Deputy Head of the CPVCC’s Commission for Information and Education and Standing Vice Chairman of the Central Theory Council confirmed the event was a success.

He said the topic of cultural development drew a great deal of attention from the two parties as it bore both theoretical and practical significance, affecting both the immediate and long-term interests of the two economies which have much in common.

For his part, Deputy Head of the CPC Central Committee’s Propaganda Department Wang Xiaoxi said that in the current era, culture has become a strong foundation of the nation’s creativeness, an important factor in the country’s competitiveness and an important vehicle of support for socio-economic development.

Both China and Vietnam are proud of their traditional histories and outstanding cultures, Wang said.

The two Parties and countries attach importance to cultural development during the country’s modernisation and reform, Wang said, adding that the two countries have recorded significant achievements and valuable experiences in the field.

Vietnam is developing a socialist-oriented market economy while China is speeding up construction of a socialist market economy and the two Parties have appropriate policies, have achieved important milestones and gained experiences in cultural development, said the workshop.

Accelerating market economic development and international integration needs to be combined with cultural development, concluded the workshop./.