Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh and his Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan hailed the third border defence friendship exchange between the two countries as a success following their meeting to review the event in Guangxi province on March 30.

Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh (R) and his Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan salute territorial sovereignty marker 1223

Speaking to the press, Minister Phung Quang Thanh said the exchange has helped strengthen solidarity friendship and strategic trust between the people, armies and border guards of the two nations, as well as contribute to developing bilateral trade and tourism.

The event also creates a good chance for Vietnamese and Chinese armies to learn from each other in various fields such as military training and building up a regular army, he added.

The two sides’ armed forces will continue to hold similar exchanges and implement effectively their agreement on border defence cooperation, he said.

According to Minister Phung Quang Thanh, the two sides look to hold high-level delegation exchanges in the Gulf of Tonkin while coordinating to increase communications on the two countries’ three legal documents on the border.

For his part, Minister Chang Wanquan said the third Vietnam-China border defence friendship exchange has been successful, enhancing political trust and practical cooperation between the two armies.

The event contributes to building a border line of peace, friendship, stability and development, thus satisfying the aspiration of people in the border areas and boosting the mutually beneficial cooperation across the board.

It also helped drive the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership forward in a practical, healthy, stable and sustainable manner, he stressed.

VNA