Important cooperation model
At 8 a.m. the same day, the seventh Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange started with a ceremony at China’s Shuikou Border Gate to welcome the delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense to Guangxi.
This year’s event was co-chaired by Vietnamese Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang and his Chinese counterpart Senior Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe
After a warm reception at Shuikou International Border Gate, the two defense ministers saluted and painted the border marker, planted trees at the border gate, and had their photos taken. After that, the two delegations, headed by the two defense ministers held talks at Longzhou’s Conference Center.
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At the talks at Longzhou’s Conference Center |
During the talks, General Phan Van Giang congratulated China on successfully organizing the sixth plenary session of the 19th Communist Party Central Committee of China and the fifth session of the 13th National People’s Congress. He affirmed that the Party, State, Government, and People’s Army of Vietnam always attach great importance to consolidating the traditional friendship and promoting the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, considering this as one of the top priorities in Vietnam’s foreign policy.
The Vietnamese defense minister also took the occasion to thank the Chinese Ministry of Defense for presenting COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Vietnamese Defense Ministry.
For his part, the Chinese Defense Minister expressed the delight at welcoming the Vietnamese delegation to attend the exchange. He emphasized that since the sixth edition concluded a year ago, the two sides have exerted efforts to further build the bilateral relationship.
Senior Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe said that the seventh friendship exchange, taking place amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrates the important common perception between the two parties, states, and militaries. He believed that activities during the program will contribute to consolidating Vietnam-China friendship, strengthening political trust and cooperation, and building a peaceful and stable borderline for the happiness of the peoples of the two countries.
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Vietnamese delegation at the talks |
The two sides also evaluated that despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the bilateral defense cooperation has been flexibly and effectively carried out. In December 2021, the two sides successfully organized the joint exercise on humanitarian assistance and medical relief in Mong Cai city, Quang Ninh province.
They also affirmed that the Vietnam-China border defense friendship exchange model has importantly contributed to promoting solidarity, friendship, and cooperation between the two countries, two defense ministries, and two border protection forces, thus building a borderline of peace, friendship, stability, and development.
Regarding cooperation orientations in the coming time, the two sides agreed to continue promoting the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level ones; effectively implementing existing exchange and cooperation mechanisms, including the Defense Strategy Dialogue at the deputy ministerial level and the Border Defense Friendship Exchange, cooperation between militaries, armed forces, academies, and schools. They also agreed to continue to coordinate with and support each other at multilateral military and defense forums and work together to implement the three legal documents on land border, strictly protect the border, prevent crimes and illegal entry and exit, and prevent SARS-CoV-2 from spreading across the border.
The two delegations also frankly discussed existing problems between the two countries and agreed to solve them from the strategic level, for the common interests of the two countries, by peaceful means and on the basis of international law.
Upholding and expanding exchange and cooperation activities in border areas
After concluding activities in China, the seventh Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange continued with various activities in Cao Bang province of Vietnam.
In particular, Defense Minister Phan Van Giang hosted a welcome ceremony for the delegation of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army led by his counterpart Wei Fenghe at Ta Lung International Border Gate, Quang Hoa district of Cao Bang province. At the event, the two defense ministers saluted and painted the border marker and planted a friendship tree at Ta Lung Friendship Cultural Center.
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At the border marker saluting ceremony |
The two delegations then visited and presented gifts to Ta Lung township’s Primary School.
Having been briefed on the school’s achievements in learning and teaching over the past time, Minister Wei Fenghe congratulated the school on its obtained results and expressed his hope that the school’s students will study hard to become the successors of the friendship between the two countries.
The Chinese defense minister affirmed that the border defense friendship exchange symbolizes the bilateral friendship and collaboration and expected that such exchange and cooperation activities will be maintained and promoted.
For his part, the Vietnamese Defense Minister said that each exchange has its own meaning, color, and way of organization, but all have the same purpose of strengthening solidarity and friendship and building a borderline of peace and mutual development. He also expected that exchange activities in border areas between the two countries will be maintained and expanded.
On the occasion, the two defense ministers handed gifts to the school’s teachers and students.
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The two defense ministers visiting Ta Lung Primary School |
In the framework of the seventh edition, from April 16 to 20, the working mission of the Department of Military Medicine under the General Department of Logistics provided free health check-ups and medicines for 5,200 people in Tra Linh township, Trung Khanh district and Ta Lung township, Quang Hoa district, Cao Bang province.
The seventh Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange ended, marking another successful border defense exchange between the two countries. This program will be a foundation for the two countries in general and two militaries in particular to continue carrying out more cooperation activities, so as to bring practical benefits for border forces, local authorities, and people living along the shared borderline.
Translated by Tran Hoai