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Maj. Gen. Tran Cong Truong (right) and Sr. Col. Xiao Jun (second from the right) jointly checking locals’ health |
Early in the morning, the Vietnam - China Friendship Cultural House in Hoanh Mo, Quang Ninh, and the Cultural Square of Dongxing, Guangxi, were filled with residents. Both locations hosted free medical examinations and medicine distribution for border communities, held as part of the 10th Vietnam - China Border Defense Friendship Exchange.
A hallmark of the program was the close coordination between Vietnamese and Chinese military medical personnel. Doctors from both countries jointly treated locals on both sides of the border. In Vietnam, the team included experts from the Military Medical Department, the Military Institute of Traditional Medicine, Military Region 3, and the Border Guard, joined by 20 Chinese doctors, primarily from Hospital 924. Simultaneously, the Chinese military medical corps led efforts in China, supported by 20 Vietnamese medical personnel sent to coordinate the mission.
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Vietnamese and Chinese doctors working together for locals’ health |
Doctors from both nations working together, examining patients and providing consultations, transcended routine medical outreach. This collaboration reflected a shared commitment to community health and a tangible expression of friendship through meaningful action.
Major General Tran Cong Truong, Deputy Director of the Military Medical Department under the General Department of Logistics and Technical Services, emphasized the program's significant political, social, and humanitarian value. He noted it serves as a gesture of gratitude toward local authorities and communities while strengthening solidarity between the two peoples and armed forces, particularly in military medicine.
Senior Colonel Xiao Jun, Director of Hospital 924, expressed satisfaction in collaborating with the Vietnam People’s Army’s medical corps. He stated that providing free healthcare for border residents demonstrates a mutual commitment to building a "Vietnam - China community with a shared future of strategic significance," while deepening cooperation and friendship exchanges between their militaries.
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Locals having their health checked |
The program featured highly skilled medical teams with modern facilities, capable of meeting basic healthcare needs and identifying common illnesses among residents. Beyond examinations and treatment, doctors provided health education and consultations for complex conditions, raising healthcare awareness in border areas. Early detection in many cases allowed for timely intervention and prevented complications.
In just one day, Vietnamese and Chinese military doctors provided medical examinations, consultations, and free medicine to approximately 1,700 people on both sides. The scale and efficiency of the effort highlighted the professionalism and commitment of the teams serving border communities.
The program also included social activities, with the military medical delegation presenting 10 gift packages to policy families in Hoanh Mo commune. Doctors also visited the homes of seriously ill patients unable to reach examination sites. These efforts underscored the dedication of military doctors, who served with both expertise and compassion.
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Col. Nguyen Van Lan (third from the right) and Chinese peers at the event |
Colonel Nguyen Van Lan, a doctor from the Military Institute of Traditional Medicine who has participated in similar missions three times, shared that he felt as if he took part in this kind of activities for the first time and his sense of enthusiasm and responsibility never changed. He highlighted the effective coordination with Chinese colleagues in developing treatment plans and exchanging professional knowledge. According to him, the trust and gratitude expressed by patients served as a powerful source of motivation, reinforcing the significance of the mission.
More than a medical outreach, the program stands as a meaningful symbol of cooperation. Through practical actions that directly benefit local communities, it strengthens the bonds between the militaries and peoples of Vietnam and China, contributing to a shared foundation of trust, understanding, and enduring friendship along the border.
Translated by Tran Hoai