Speaking at a press briefing in Hanoi on Tuesday morning, the Ministry of National Defense introduced plans for the 10th Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange.

Colonel Tran Van Loi, head of the Asia Division at the ministry’s Department of Foreign Relations, said the event is scheduled to take place from March 18 to 19 in Quang Ninh province of Vietnam and in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China.

The Vietnamese delegation will be led by General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense, while the Chinese delegation will be headed by Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun, China’s Minister of National Defense.

The exchange aims to implement the shared understanding of senior leaders of the two parties and countries on strengthening practical defense cooperation.

It is also intended to enhance friendship and solidarity while promoting substantive cooperation between border protection forces, local authorities and people living in border areas of the two countries, as well as between the armed forces of Vietnam and China.

The activities are expected to contribute to building a border of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and development.

According to the plan, activities on the Vietnamese side on March 18 will include a welcoming and farewell ceremony for the Chinese delegation at Mong Cai International Border Gate in Quang Ninh province, a friendship tree planting ceremony, the groundbreaking of a friendship medical station project in Hai Son commune, visits to Tran Phu High School and Tra Co Border Guard Station, and talks between the two defense ministers.

On March 19, activities in China will include a welcoming and farewell ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation at Dongxing International Border Gate at Beilun Bridge 2 in Guangxi province, a visit to a border guard company, a friendship tree planting ceremony, and the launch of a joint patrol and training exercise between the navies of Vietnam and China in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Delegations will also visit a historical site related to the Ho Chi Minh maritime route, tour a local enterprise, and lay wreaths at the memorial dedicated to revolutionary martyrs of both Vietnam and China.

Vietnam to deploy two missile frigates for joint patrol

Ahead of the exchange, several side activities will also take place. These include free medical examinations and medicine distribution for residents in border areas by military medical forces of both countries, as well as the presentation of 100 scholarships for disadvantaged students and 50 breeding cows for families facing economic hardship along the border.

At the Vietnam-China Friendship Cultural House in Hoanh Mo commune, a ceremony will be held to review the twinning relationship between residential clusters on both sides of the border, linking Cua Khau hamlet in Hoanh Mo commune of Vietnam with Dongzhong village in Dongzhong township of Fangcheng district in China.

One of the highlights of this year’s exchange will be the joint patrol and training exercise between the two navies in the Gulf of Tonkin, aimed at strengthening coordination and improving the effectiveness of maritime security management.

Vietnam’s Navy will deploy the missile frigates 015 Tran Hung Dao and 012 Ly Thai To from Brigade 162 under Naval Region 4 to participate in the joint patrol and training exercise with the Chinese Navy.

The planned activities include coordination meetings to finalize patrol and training plans, briefings for the defense ministers of both countries on preparation efforts, and mutual visits to the patrol ships of each navy.

Following the launch ceremony, both naval forces will conduct joint patrol operations within agreed maritime areas in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Training activities are expected to include maneuvering formations, maritime escort operations, communication exercises using signal lights at sea, anti-piracy drills, and cooperation in sharing search and rescue experience and ship damage control techniques.

These activities aim to further strengthen solidarity and friendship between the armed forces of Vietnam and China, particularly between the two navies, while enhancing operational capabilities at sea and expanding defense diplomacy.

Tran Thuong