Stunned by a futuristic drone performance above the gate tower of an ancient town in Chongzuo, a city in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Nguyen Anh Thu from Vietnam said she now has a fresh understanding of China's traditional culture and cutting-edge technology.

The 18-year-old added that she hopes to become a messenger of friendship between the two countries.

Thu was among the 75 Vietnamese youth representatives who recently completed a weeklong educational study tour in Guangxi, which shares a border with Vietnam, and neighboring Guangdong province.

The study tour, which began in mid-May, was part of a project jointly organized by the Communist Youth League of China Central Committee and Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

As part of the project, young representatives from Vietnam will be invited to visit China's "Red tourism" sites — locations with historical and cultural significance for the Communist Party of China — from 2025 to 2027. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-Vietnam diplomatic relations and the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

Thu, who is a freshman studying international economics in Vietnam, said that it was her first visit to China, though she had heard about the ancient civilization since childhood.

She said she was touched by the stories of China-Vietnam friendship that she learned at the "Red tourism" sites, and was amazed by the magnificent natural scenery in China. In particular, she mentioned the Detian-Ban Gioc Waterfall — a China-Vietnam cross-border tourism cooperation zone in Chongzuo.

"Today, China is one of the world's strongest countries, and I'm very honored to see its modernization and traditional culture with my own eyes," Thu said. "I felt at home in Chongzuo, as the natural scenery and food there have similarities with Vietnam."

'Impressive' infrastructure

Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, 35, who works at a construction company in Vietnam, said he was impressed by China's modern infrastructure. "I knew that China has a very advanced infrastructure system from watching television, but seeing and experiencing a real bullet train during the study tour was more impressive and amazing."

He noted that Vietnam is developing its own high-speed rail network, and the study tour provided a good opportunity to see and learn about China's experience in running a fast and safe high-speed rail service. A big fan of China's e-commerce, he praised the quality of the clothes and shoes that he buys on Chinese websites.

"I hope I get more chances to be involved in such study tours to China and hope for more cooperation between my company and Chinese companies," he said, adding that he has often thought of learning Mandarin, but his busy work schedule is a deterrent.

Closer people-to-people communication and economic cooperation between China and Vietnam in recent years have not only given young Vietnamese a favorable impression of China, but have also inspired more young Chinese to seek a career in cross-border tourism, e-commerce and culture-related industries.

Data from Vietnam Customs shows that China has become the Southeast Asian country's leading trade partner. Bilateral trade reached a record high of $260.6 billion in 2024, according to Chinese customs.

Lu Yutong, who is studying Vietnamese at Guangxi Minzu University in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, joined the study tour as a Chinese youth representative.

The 20-year-old said she was impressed by the kindness of the Vietnamese people during her exchange study period in the nation's capital, Hanoi, from September to January.

"I have a very good impression of Hanoi, which boasts a modern downtown and kind, considerate people," Lu said. "I remember that I got very sick one night during my stay there, and a Vietnamese girl in a neighboring dormitory took me to a hospital and cared for me the whole night. It really touched me.

'More job opportunities'

"The more I've learned about Vietnam, the clearer I am about my future career. China and Vietnam have deepened cooperation in many sectors over the years. Artificial intelligence technology, for instance, will help create more job opportunities for people like me who wish to engage in cross-border cultural communication," she said.

Apart from Chongzuo, the youth representatives visited cities such as Nanning and Guilin in Guangxi as well as Guangzhou, Guangdong province, getting a close-up view of China's traditional culture and modernization in new energy research and cross-border e-commerce.

"I will share my experience with my parents and friends in Vietnam," said Thu. "I will definitely make another trip to China if I get a chance in the future."