The opening ceremony was held at Dong Anh Gymnasium in Hanoi on the evening of August 21, organized by the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army. General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, attended and directed the opening ceremony.

Speaking at the event, Lieutenant General Nguyen Ba Luc, Deputy Chief of the General Staff and head of the organizing committee, said that amid deepening international integration, military and defense cooperation among countries around the world and in Southeast Asia has continued to expand through increasingly diverse and effective forms across multiple fields.

The tournament brings together representatives from the armed forces of Cambodia, Singapore, Laos and Myanmar, along with the Ho Chi Minh City Police team and the Vietnam People’s Army team.

Nguyen described the tournament as a celebration of military sporting culture and a symbol of friendship, cooperation and shared development.

The six teams are divided into two groups. Group A features the military teams of Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia, while Group B consists of Ho Chi Minh City Police, the Lao People’s Army and the Singapore Armed Forces.

Following the opening ceremony, the Vietnam People’s Army men’s volleyball team faced Myanmar in the opening match. The hosts secured a 3-0 victory to make a strong start to the tournament.

Dai Nam