Vusta participates in the Lancang-Mekong Engineers Forum
From December 4 to 7, 2024, the Lancang-Mekong Engineers Forum took place in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China. The forum, themed "Engineering Innovation and Win-Win Cooperation", was hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and organized by the Chinese Society of Engineers (CSE).
The event brought together representatives from the engineering communities of countries along the Lancang-Mekong River Basin, including China, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Representing Vietnam, the delegation from the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) was led by Dr. Le Cong Luong, Deputy Secretary-General and Head of the Department of Science, Technology, and Environment.
VUSTA delegation attended the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Engineers Forum
As part of the forum, delegates engaged in discussions on several noteworthy topics, including insights into China's experience in engineering training aligned with the Chinese government's Belt and Road Initiative. These discussions also highlighted collaborative plans to develop standardized infrastructure systems across the Lancang-Mekong region.
Additionally, delegates discussed initiatives for marine environment conservation through the innovative application of science and technology in civil construction. Topics included addressing technical challenges in urban tunnel construction to ensure sustainable development, experiences in reducing carbon pollution and utilizing emissions from the metallurgical and chemical industries, as well as strategies for overcoming challenges in urban tunnel construction while promoting sustainable growth…
Overview of the workshop at the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Engineers Forum
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Hoang Nam, Deputy Head of the Department of Bridge and Road Construction at the University of Science and Technology, Da Nang University, represented the VUSTA delegation with a compelling presentation titled “Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment for Bridge Systems”. The report underscored the critical importance of factoring in the effects of multiple natural disasters when assessing risks and potential damages to bridge infrastructure, a matter of particular relevance for Vietnam and other countries in the Lancang-Mekong region.
Dr. Nam's presentation also identified key challenges and pressing issues in transportation infrastructure that demand collaborative solutions among nations in the region. These challenges take on heightened urgency in the face of increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Hoang Nam presented key report
Dr. Dang Viet Dzung, Chairman of the Vietnam Federation of Civil Engineering Associations, delivered a welcome address on behalf of the delegation. In his speech, he emphasized the significance and importance of the forum and commended the technical reports presented by the delegates during the workshop. Dr. Dzung also expressed hope for stronger collaboration among the countries in the Lancang-Mekong region.
Dr. Dang Viet Dzung delivereda speechat the Workshop
As part of the forum’s activities, the organizers arranged insightful technical field visits and workshops at prominent construction sites. Highlights included Kunming’s Metro Line 4 project, the Dushupu Complex, a key starting point of the Silk Road under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, boasting a total investment of 380 million RMB and iconic landmarks such as the Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center, the Haicang People's Convention Center in Yunnan Province, and the Haicang Dam. These visits provided delegates with an opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions on integrating civil construction projects with local economic development while prioritizing biodiversity restoration and preservation.
At the invitation of the Chinese side, the VUSTA delegation held a meeting with representatives from Tianjin University, China, the designated organization tasked with implementing the plan to establish the International Federation of Engineering Societies for the Belt and Road Initiative (IFES). During the meeting, the Tianjin University representatives presented the concept, mission, functions, objectives, and proposed activities of the IFES, inviting the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) to support the initiative and become a founding member. Dr. Le Cong Luong, on behalf of the delegation, acknowledged the proposal and committed to reporting it to the leadership of the Vietnam Union for formal feedback at the appropriate time.
On this occasion, the VUSTA delegation also visited the historical site of President Ho Chi Minh at 91, Hoa Son Nam (Wu Hua District, Kunming City), where the President carried out revolutionary activities in 1940-1941 to find a path to national salvation during his time in Yunnan Province, China.
