In Malaysia, a military delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, led by Senior Lieutenant General Pham Ngoc Minh, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, joined the battleship to attend the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2019 at the invitation of the host country.
During the LIMA 2019, the Vietnamese delegation participated in an array of sideline events, such as the Chief of Navies’ Roundtable Talk, the Air Chiefs' Conference, and the National Maritime Conference.
The 012-Ly Thai To with the onboard crew-members actively joined and completed all activities of LIMA 2019 including fleet review, exercises at sea, sports game, and cultural and culinary exchanges. The participation contributed to strengthening the friendship, understanding, and mutual trust between the Vietnam People’s Army and other foreign naval forces for the sake of peace and stability in the region.
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Crew-members on board the Frigate 012-Ly Thai To safely arrive in Cam Ranh Military Port. |
According to Senior Colonel Nguyen Cong Son, Deputy Political Commissar of Naval Region 4 and head of the Vietnamese naval mission on the frigate, the host of Malaysia evaluated the 012-Ly Thai To set the best formation among 42 participating warships in the fleet review.
Notably, the Vietnamese booth at the Fleet Cultural and Food Festival Night drew scores of international visitors coming to enjoy Vietnamese typical dishes like “nem” (fried spring rolls) and “pho” (beef noodle soup) as well as traditional cultural performances in praise of the country and people of Vietnam, leaving deep impressions on both participants and observers.
Meanwhile, on the first visit to Myanmar, the Vietnamese naval delegation paid courtesy visits on Commander of Tanin Tharyi Naval Region, Zwe Win Myint; Commander of Myeik Coastal Military Region, Major General Thaung Htike Shwe; and Minister of Security and Border of Tanin Tharyi Region, Colonel U Kyaw Zaya.
On this occasion, the 012-Ly Thai To joined an exercise at sea and friendly volleyball games with the Myanmar Navy, contributing to expanding the bilateral relations between the two militaries and naval forces.
The host highly appreciated the goodwill of the Vietnam People’s Navy in promoting friendship and cooperation between the two navies, via the visit of the 012-Ly Thai To to Myanmar. The visit has demonstrated the flourishing defense ties between the two sides through their visits and delegation exchanges at all levels.
Especially, the Vietnamese frigate hosted a cultural and culinary gala night aboard with the participation of senior officers of the Myanmar Navy; defense attachés to Myanamar from the US, Australia, India, Bangladesh, and Laos; and representatives of Vietnamese businesses operating in Myanmar. In particular, the international guests were briefed on the 012-Ly Thai To’s missions, weaponry, and equipment. The event made contribution to popularizing cultural identities and images of Vietnam, the Vietnam People’s Army and the Vietnam People’s Navy.
Senior Colonel Nguyen Cong Son emphasized that the international voyage of the frigate and the naval delegation to Malaysia and Myanmar was successful while ensuring absolute safety for personnel and equipment.
Translated by Van Hieu