The Vietnamese coast guard ships 8004 and 8003 participating in the event were led by Senior Colonel Luong Cao Khai, Second-in-Command and Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard Region 1 Command. The Chinese coast guard ship 4302 and 4203 were commanded by Senior Colonel Wu Youlin, Deputy Director of the Nanhai Division.

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The two coast guard delegations hold talks to agree on the patrol plan.
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The two delegations in a joint photo
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Senior Colonel Luong Cao Khai (right) presents a souvenir to Senior Colonel Wu Youlin.

During the talks on the patrol plan, the two sides reviewed outcomes that the two coast guard forces obtained in 2023. Regarding this time’s joint patrol, Col. Khai emphasized that it was a chance for the two sides to exchange experiences in law enforcement at sea, share experience in search and rescue operations at sea, thus deepening the friendship and sharing aspiration for maintaining peace, stability, prosperity and development of the people of the two countries in general and the two coast guard forces in particular.

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Sr. Col. Luong Cao Khai holds a phone talk with the Chinese side.
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Chinese coast guard 4302 participating in the joint patrol

In this first edition of the year, the Vietnamese and Chinese ships are patrolling 13 points from 48 nautical miles Northeast of Con Co to 14 nautical miles Southeast of Tran Island on the Gulf of Tonkin demarcation line covering a total distance of 255.5 nautical miles.

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Vietnamese coast guards saluting their Chinese peers

During the three-day joint patrol, they will hold talks, check and monitor fishermen’s trawlers operating in the designated waters, disseminate information about law observance among fishermen, and exchange search and rescue experience.

Translated by Mai Huong