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Representatives of the Philippine Navy welcoming the Vietnamese delagation 
The activity is to implement directions of Vietnam’s Central Military Commission and Ministry of National Defense on international integration and defense external relations; to enhance friendship, cooperation, mutual understanding and trust between the Vietnam People's Navy and the navies of the Philippines and Brunei, for peace, stability and development in the region. The event was also in reply to the visits of the two countries’ naval ships to Vietnam.

After arriving at Manila port, the delegation of sailing vessel 286 - Le Quy Don, led by Senior Colonel Phan Van Van, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Naval Academy, paid a courtesy visit to Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph S. Mercado, Commander of the Philippine Navy.

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Vice Admiral Mercado (R) presenting gift to Senior Colonel Phan Van Van 

During the visit, Sen. Col. Van introduced the sailing ship and his crew to Vice Admiral Mercado. Accordingly, the sailing ship, named after the 18th-century Vietnamese philosopher Le Quy Don, was assigned to the Vietnam People’s Navy on March, 2016 and is used for naval cadets training.

He also highly valued the recent developments in relations between the two navies, especially the establishment of bilateral consultation mechanisms at staff-officer-level in supporting distressed fishermen in the two countries’ waters. Sen. Col. Van expressed his belief that the cooperation between the two navies would be further promoted in the coming time, contributing to ensuring regional peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

For his part, Vice Admiral Mercado affirmed that the visit played an important role in defense relations and expressed his wish to boost cooperation between the two navies in the coming time.

* The same day, the Vietnamese delegation visited Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines Ly Quoc Tuan.

Translated by Hong Thanh