Commander IPE21 Commodore Mal Wise and other Australian officers are welcomed at Cam Ranh Internatiional port. (Photo: Australian Embassy)
 

Their arrival is part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2021 (IPE21), an annual Australian Defence Force (ADF) activity which delivers on the promise of the 2016 Defence White Paper to strengthen Australia’s engagement and partnerships with regional security forces.

Departing Australia in late August, IPE21 will provide an opportunity for Australia to engage with Southeast Asian partners beyond traditional military activities, with supporting elements from across the Australian Government. 

Present at the welcoming ceremony on September 20 were Colonel Ho Thanh Hoa, deputy commander of the Naval Region 4 Command, and representatives of Military Region 5, the Border Guard and the Australian Embassy.

Commander IPE21 Commodore Mal Wise noted the welcoming of the Australian fleet of naval ships amid the complicated development of the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to the deep defense relationship between Australia and Vietnam.

During their four-day stay, the two countries will co-host a series of exchanges on various topics, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, gender, peace and security, as well as cooperation on maritime security.

Source: VOV