On August 1, a delegation of the Consulate General of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Vladivostok visited A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (NSCMB FEB RAS). The official reception was attended by the Consul General of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Vladivostok, Mr. Nguen Dang Hien, the Consul for Cultural Affairs, Mr.Vu Ngoc Tien and the assistant of the Consul General and interpreter Elena V. Suchkova. The Center was represented by the Director of the NSCMB FEB RAS Igor Yuryevich Dolmatov, Corr. Member of RAS, Deputy Director for International Cooperation Ph.D. Konstantin Anatol’evich Lutaenko, Deputy Directors for Science of the NSCMB FEB RAS: Ph.D. Tatyana Yu. Orlova, Ph.D. Vladimir V. Mordukhovich, and Ph.D. Andrey V. Boroda. The reception was also attended by Ph.D. Tatyana N. Dautova, the Scientific Head of the Laboratory for Deep Sea Research.

The official reception began with warm greetings and a welcome speech of the Director of the NSCMB FEB RAS Igor Yurievich Dolmatov, he told shortly about many years of cooperation with institutes that are involved in research in the field of chemistry of natural compounds in Vietnam (the cities of Nha Trang and Hanoi). The period of the pandemic caused by Covid-19 complicated international cooperation between our institutions, but presently cooperative interactions with Vietnamese colleagues have been restored completely and continue to strengthen.

The Scientific Head of the Laboratory for Deep Sea Research Ph.D. Tatyana N. Dautova made a presentation on the many-year scientific research of the NSCMB FEB RAS (formerly IBM FEB RAS) and a number of institutes of the Vietnam Academy of Sciences and Technology (VAST). Ph.D. Dautova presented several important stages in the development of a sustainable partnership between our scientists. In the period 1980 – 1985, the first cooperation agreement was signed between the USSR Academy of Sciences and the National Center for Scientific Research of Vietnam, the study of coastal marine communities, including the coral reefs of Vietnam, and investigations of the biochemical properties of marine natural compounds were in demand in the period. At the next stage of our cooperation, from 1986 to 2000, the integrated joint project "South China Sea" was carried out within the framework of the program "World Ocean". The main objectives of the project were to study the biodiversity of coastal marine ecosystems in various regions of Vietnam, to continue the search for biologically active natural compounds with a view to their application in biotechnology, and to develop methods and approaches in the field of aquaculture for cultivation of marine organisms in artificial conditions. This period of cooperation was very productive for both parties: over 120 scientific articles were published over 15 years, 3 joint symposiums were held to discuss research results and to share experiences. A five-volume reference book on reef-forming corals in Vietnam was one of the results of this joint work.

In the 21st century, our joint cooperation continued: joint projects (international projects and projects supported by grants of the Russian Academy of Sciences), sea expeditions, joint conferences, and some joint laboratories were organized. Between 2002 and 2010, two research cruises were carried out jointly with the VAST Institute of Oceanography (Nha Trang), on the Russian research vessel “Akademik Oparin”. The goals of these cruises included the study of biodiversity of the open waters and the shelf of Vietnam.

One of the major projects was “Marine biodiversity of the Vietnam coastal waters: rational management for sustainable development of coastal marine areas”, which was started in 2010 with support of the Asia-Pacific Network for the Global Change Research (APN). The leader of this project from the Russian side was Ph.D Konstantin A. Lutaenko. As a result of the project, a joint international conference was held in the VAST Institute of Oceanography (Nha Trang).

In the final part of the presentation, Ph.D. Tatyana Dautova mentioned three joint laboratories: the Vietnam-Russia Laboratory of Marine Biodiversity and Ecology (2009); Vietnam-Russia Open Laboratory of Biochemistry (2010) and Vietnam-Russia Open Laboratory of Pharmacology (2010), the laboratories make a significant contribution to research of the Center. In conclusion, Tatyana Dautova emphasized the need to pay special attention to the preparation of young researchers, because “The youth are children, and children are our future!”

The Deputy Director for International Cooperation of the Center Ph.D. Konstantin A. Lutaenko told that scientists from the NSCMB FEB RAS are exploring nearly the whole World Ocean; the surveys are being conducted in the Arctic, Antarctic and tropics (in Australia and the Seychelles). Konstantin A. Lutaenko informed the participants about "Primorsky Aquarium" - the branch of our Center, the scientific and educational complex, where joint educational and scientific activities are carried out.

The Consul General Mr. Nguyen Dang Hien thanked for the invitation to the NSCMB FEB RAS, for the interesting information about the activities of the Center and its projects, for the colossal joint work done. The Consul General also noted that over the past 75 years, Russia and Vietnam have had close and already traditional friendly relations. Our countries cooperate in many areas, especially in science. Mr. Nguyen Dang Hien mentioned that this year Nha Trang port welcomed the Russian ship “Akademik Oparin”, which carried out expedition work in the coastal waters of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with the participation of scientists of the NSCMB FEB RAS (Cruise No. 66). During joint sea expeditions, scientists make a significant contribution to cooperation between our countries. The Consul General thanked the Russian scientists for help to their Vietnamese colleagues in the study of marine ecology and biology of the seas of Vietnam and wished them good health and new joint projects that will benefit not only Russia and Vietnam, but the whole world. In addition, the Consul General handed an official invitation to the Director of the NSCMB FEB RAS Igor Yu. Dolmatov to the celebration in honor of the Independence Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on August 31.

The official reception was held in a calm and friendly atmosphere and lasted about an hour, the both parties discussed the academic and scientific cooperation between the NSCMB FEB RAS and Vietnamese institutions.

As a result of the visit, an agreement was reached on the assistance of the Consulate General of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Vladivostok and the support of the scientists of the NSCMB FEB RAS in implementation of new joint projects with Vietnamese colleagues; information regarding the exchange of students will be also considered in the near future.

At the end of the event, both sides exchanged memorable gifts.

A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center for Marine Biology FEB RAS expresses our sincere gratitude to the Consulate General of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Vladivostok for the visit, which is a sign of friendship, mutual respect and acceptance of the cultures of both countries.

International Cooperation Department