The previous edition took place on Song Tu Dong (Northeast Cay) Island last October.
The Vietnamese delegation was led by Senior Captain Ngo Dinh Xuyen, Second-in-Command of Naval Region 4, while the Philippine delegation was headed by Captain Enstein Calaoa, Second-in-Command of the Naval Forces West (NFW) under the Philippine Navy.
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Vietnamese and Philippine naval forces share information during the exchange. |
This seventh edition aimed to consolidate and strengthen friendship, cooperation, trust and mutual understanding between the two militaries and navies and to effectively realize the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on enhancing bilateral cooperation and information sharing between the Vietnam People’s Navy and the Philippine Navy signed in October 2011, the regulations on friendship exchanges on Song Tu Tay and Song Tu Dong islands inked by the two navies in March 2012.
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Sports exchanges between Vietnamese naval troops and their peers from the Philippines |
Addressing the exchange, Sr. Captain Xuyen expressed his delight at the development of the cooperative ties between the two militaries and navies. He said that on the basis of the aforementioned MoU, the two sides have promoted all-level delegation exchanges, organized bilateral naval consultations and friendship exchanges on Song Tu Tay and Song Tu Dong islands, conducted ships’ port calls, participated in each side-hosted international multilateral events, and cooperated in search and rescue activities for distressed fishermen.
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The two head delegates present cups and flags to participating teams of the sports exchange. |
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An art performance of the Vietnam side |
“The regulations on friendship exchanges on Song Tu Tay and Song Tu Dong islands are an important foundation to develop the friendship and cooperation between the two navies in an intensive and effective manner, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, and development in the region,” the Vietnamese naval officer stressed.
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Sr. Capt. Ngo Dinh Xuyen presents a souvenir to Capt. Enstein Calaoa. |
He suggested the two sides continue sharing information about warnings on natural disasters, maritime security and safety, search and rescue, sea environmental pollution between Song Tu Tay and Song Tu Dong islands. He also proposed enhancing coordination in dealing with emerging sea-related situations, search and rescue operations, fairly and humanely treating each country’s distressed fishermen in the spirit of the MoU on preventing and managing incidents in the East Sea (South China Sea) that the two countries signed in June 2024.
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The two delegations in a group photo |
For his part, Captain Enstein Calaoa expressed his impression on the Vietnam People’s Navy’s thorough and solemn organization of the exchange. He affirmed that such exchanges help boost mutual understanding and trust between the two navies and actively contribute to the development of two countries’ friendship, thereby importantly helping uphold peace, stability, maritime security and safety of each country and in the region as a whole.
During the exchange, the two sides shared and discussed information about search and rescue, maritime security, warnings of natural disasters in the region. Troops of the two forces joined exchanges in terms of sports, culture, and cuisine.
This year’s exchange took place in the atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding, helping strengthen the two sides’ cooperation in response to challenging issues caused by natural disasters, coordination in search and rescue activities, sharing of information about forecasts of bad weather and other maritime security and safety situations.
Reported by Van Hieu
Translated by Mai Huong