On August 20, 2026, the International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan (ICBR) and the Vietnam Academy of Forest Sciences (VAFS) held an online-offline hybrid signing ceremony to renew their Memorandum of Understanding, which was hosted simultaneously in Beijing, China and Hanoi, Vietnam. The ceremony was attended and addressed by Dr. Qin Daochun, Director General of ICBR and Dr. Phi Hong Hai, President of VAFS.

The two sides noted that China and Vietnam are friendly neighbors connected by mountains and rivers. Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, the China–Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership has continued to deepen, with friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation strengthened across various fields. Bamboo and rattan, as important non-timber forest resources, hold significant economic, social, and environmental value for both countries. ICBR and VAFS possess strong research capabilities and complementary strengths, offering great potential for cooperation.

The renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding marks the beginning of deeper and more practical cooperation in areas including bamboo and rattan resource cultivation and management, value-added processing technologies for bamboo and rattan products, assessment of bamboo forest ecosystem services, and the breeding of superior new bamboo and rattan varieties, through personnel exchanges, capacity building, and joint research. Ms. Li Xiaohua, Deputy Director General of ICBR, Dr. Tran Lam Dong, Vice President of VAFS, and representatives of relevant departments from the Chinese and Vietnamese side also attended the ceremony.

Photo: Signing Ceremony