Vietnam sends 2 missile guards ships to interact with the Chinese Navy

On the morning of April 9, the Ministry of National Defense informed about the program "The 9th Vietnam - China Border Defense Friendship Exchange" in Lang Son province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region ( Guangxi province, China) from April 16 to 17.

Major General Nguyen Xuan Thuy - Deputy Director of the Propaganda Department, General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) - said that the Vietnamese delegation will be led by General Phan Van Giang - Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense; the Chinese delegation will be led by the Chinese Minister of National Defense.

The exchange activities include: Welcoming ceremony for Vietnamese and Chinese delegations; Vietnamese delegations visit Huu Nghi Quan tourist area, visit Huu Nghi border gate guard company, visit Bang Tuong City Primary School No. 4 (Western); visit the Cultural Village of the border area; Chinese delegations will visit Dong Dang Primary School, visit Huu Nghi International Border Gate Station, hold talks and witness cooperation documents between the two armies.

Notably, in this series of activities, the Ministers of National Defense of the two countries will witness joint patrols in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. This is a new feature of this year's exchange, and also the first time the Vietnam Navy has participated in the Vietnam - China border defense exchange.

Lieutenant Colonel Cao Van Dan - Editor-in-Chief of the Navy Newspaper - said that within the framework program of the "9th Vietnam - China Border Defense Friendship Exchange", the Vietnam Navy and the Southern Military Region Navy, the People's Liberation Army of China will conduct joint patrols in the waters of the Northern Gulf. This is the 38th patrol between the navels of the two countries.

Accordingly, Vietnam will send missile protection ships 015 Tran Hung Dao and 016 Quang Trung to visit and exchange with the Chinese Navy according to the mechanism agreed upon by both sides for many years.

These are two modern warships of the Navy and the first time these two ships have participated in joint patrols in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. According to the plan, tomorrow morning, April 10, the two ships will leave Cam Ranh port to Bac Ha port (Vuangxi, China) to conduct exchanges, then there will be a joint patrol activity.

The missile protection ship journey from Cam Ranh to China will take place from April 10 to 13. On April 13, it will dock at Bac Ha port. After the exchange, the Vietnamese fleet will return home, and during the withdrawal process, they will be trained on a long sea trip from the Gulf of Tonkin to Cam Ranh.

Lieutenant Colonel Cao Van Dan informed that the exchange and patrol activities will last from April 10 to 19, including 8 main activities: Mobilizing the fleet from Cam Ranh to Bac Ha port; The Chinese Navy will hold a welcoming ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation at Bac Ha port; the navels of the two countries will exchange commanders of the two countries' fleets; sports exchange between officers and marines of the two groups.

"This is an important political task, contributing to enriching and deepening the exchange of defense and border friendship. In addition, it will make the coordination between the Vietnamese and Chinese navels increasingly practical and effective," Lieutenant Colonel Dan emphasized.

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