The Chinese and Vietnamese navies have launched a joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin to “deepen” regional maritime cooperation, Beijing’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday.
Coinciding with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties, the week-long “border defense friendship exchange” is being held across China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Vietnam’s Lang Son province, it said in a statement.
Scheduled from April 11 to 17, it includes search and rescue operations, signal light communication exercises, joint medical consultations by military personnel, a naval patrol in the Beibu Gulf and cultural exchanges between border communities.
Military medical teams from both countries treated more than 3,100 border residents through joint consultations and home visits, conducted over 1,300 free checkups, and distributed more than 2,000 boxes of medicine.
On April 13, the Vietnamese naval fleet arrived in Beihai — marking its first visit to the city.
Troops from both sides participated in activities, including vessel tours, experience sharing and sports events, to strengthen friendship ahead of the 38th China-Vietnam joint patrol in the Beibu Gulf, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
Two missile frigates, Tran Hung Dao and Quang Trung, departed from the Beihai military port in Guangxi, China, to join the Chinese Navy in a joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin on Wednesday, local English website Vietnam Global reported.
The drill marks the ninth edition since launching in 2014.
Source: AA