The 9th Vietnam - China border defense friendship exchange officially took place

The welcoming ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation at Huu Nghi Quan border gate (China) was solemnly held under the chairmanship of the Chinese Minister of National Defense , Senior General Dong Quan.

The delegation included members of the Party Central Committee: Deputy Minister of National Defense, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien; Deputy Minister of Public Security , Senior Lieutenant General Tran Quoc To; Commander of the Border Guard, Lieutenant General Le Duc Thai; Commander of Military Region 1, Lieutenant General Nguyen Hong Thai; Commander of the Air Defense - Air Force, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Hien; Commander of the Vietnam Navy, Vice Admiral Tran Thanh Nghiem.

Also joining the delegation were comrades: Lang Son Provincial Party Secretary Hoang Van Nghiem, representatives of Heads of agencies and units under the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs .

Minister of National Defense, General Phan Van Giang and the Vietnamese delegation salute the sovereignty milestone before going to China to attend activities in the Exchange Program.

Minister of National Defense, General Phan Van Giang performs the ceremony of painting Vietnam's sovereignty milestones

The high-ranking delegation of the Ministry of National Defense led by Minister of National Defense, General Phan Van Giang, departed from Huu Nghi International Border Gate, Lang Son province.

Chinese Minister of National Defense, Senior General Dong Jun welcomed a high-ranking delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense.

The delegations of the two countries carried out activities in the Exchange Program including: Visiting Huu Nghi Quan Tourist Area; visiting Huu Nghi Quan Border Guard Company; witnessing the patrol teams of the two navies reporting online before conducting joint patrols; planting friendship trees; visiting the smart border gate at Huu Nghi Quan Border Gate; visiting Primary School No. 4 of Bang Tuong City; visiting Chu Lien Model Village, Ninh Minh District.

Chinese Minister of National Defense, Senior General Dong Jun presents flowers to Minister of National Defense, Senior General Phan Van Giang

The Vietnam-China border defense friendship exchange is an annual activity in the border provinces of Vietnam and China, increasingly developing in both breadth and depth with rich content and many practical and meaningful activities. This is a program of important political significance, supported by leaders at all levels, agreed by the people of the two countries and interested by international public opinion. Through each exchange period, Vietnam-China defense cooperation has had positive developments, contributing to deepening the relationship between the two countries and the two armies.

In particular, the exchange program took place right after the State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping at the invitation of General Secretary To Lam and President Luong Cuong, contributing to the implementation of the common perception of high-ranking leaders of Vietnam and China; affirming the role of defense cooperation and the two Defense Ministries in strengthening the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China.

During the visit, the two countries' leaders issued a Joint Statement between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the People's Republic of China on continuing to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promoting the building of a Vietnam-China Community of Shared Future of strategic significance.

Accordingly, the two sides reaffirmed the need to build a more substantial pillar of defense and security cooperation, emphasizing that defense and security cooperation is one of the pillars of the Vietnam-China relationship, contributing significantly to strengthening strategic trust between the two Parties and two countries.

Minister of National Defense, General Phan Van Giang waves to delegates at Huu Nghi Quan border gate (China)

Specifically, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation mechanisms on defense and security...; increase exchanges and promote key cooperation activities; agree to increase high-level and all-level exchanges between the two countries' armies; promote the role of mechanisms such as the Border Defense Friendship Exchange and the Defense Strategic Dialogue; promote exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' armies in areas such as political work, staff training, strategic research, and joint research; strengthen cooperation in defense industry, joint exercises, training, and mutual visits by naval ships; continue to expand cooperation in areas such as medical logistics, United Nations peacekeeping, and non-traditional security.

Minister of National Defense, General Phan Van Giang and high-ranking representatives of the Ministry of National Defense attended activities in the Vietnam - China Exchange Program.

High-ranking delegates from the Ministry of National Defense attended activities in the Vietnam - China Exchange Program.

Along with that, the two sides will deepen border cooperation, strengthen coordination in border management, deploy joint border patrols on land, encourage border guards of the two countries to establish friendly relations, increase friendly exchanges in border areas; promote the role of the joint patrol mechanism in the Gulf of Tonkin, effectively deploy joint patrol activities in the Gulf of Tonkin; deepen the exchange and cooperation mechanism between the navies and coast guards of the two countries...

Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang, Chinese Minister of National Defense Dong Jun and the delegations of the two countries' Ministries of National Defense took a souvenir photo.

It is expected that tomorrow (April 17) activities will take place in Vietnam including: a welcoming ceremony for the Chinese delegation; planting friendship trees; visiting Dong Dang Primary School; attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the inauguration of the multi-purpose building; visiting the Border Guard Station at the Friendship International Border Gate; visiting the Logistics Park of the Military Industry - Telecommunications Group; holding talks and witnessing the signing of cooperation documents.

Here are some photos of the exchange at locations and areas on both sides of the border.

Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and Chinese Minister of National Defense Dong Quan planted a commemorative tree in the grounds of the Border Guard Company at Huu Nghi Quan Border Gate, China.

Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and Minister Dong Jun visited Primary School No. 4, Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and Minister Dong Quan presented gifts to Primary School No. 4, Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and Minister Dong Quan presented gifts to students of Primary School No. 4, Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and Minister Dong Quan and students of Primary School No. 4, Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and Minister Dong Quan and delegates took photos with teachers and students.

Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and delegates visited handicraft products of the local model village of Chu Lien, Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.