Vietnam - China border defense friendship exchange officially started

(Bqp.vn) - On April 16 morning, at Vietnam’s Huu Nghi International Border Gate, Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang and the high-ranking delegation of the Ministry of National Defense (MND) saluted and painted Marker 1116, starting the ninth Vietnam - China Border Defense Friendship Exchange.

General Phan Van Giang and delegates saluting the national sovereign marker.

General Phan Van Giang painting the national sovereign marker on the Vietnamese side.

After that, the delegation walked through the border gate to enter China for a wide range of activities in the framework of the exchange.

General Phan Van Giang and the Vietnamese delegation coming to China for the exchange.

In the morning of the same day, at China’s Youyi Guan Border Gate, Chinese Minister of National Defense Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun warmly welcomed Vietnamese Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang and the Vietnamese MND delegation.

The welcome ceremony was held solemnly with the participation of the guard-of-honor, military art troupe, and thousands of local people and students.

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun (R) welcoming his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Giang.

A Chinese servicewoman presenting flowers to General Phan Van Giang.

While in China, the Vietnamese and Chinese MND delegations toured the Youyi Guan Border Gate. They will visit the Border Company of Youyi Guan Border Gate, hear an online report from the patrol forces of the two navies before their joint patrol, and plant a friendship tree. They will also visit the smart border gate at Youyi Guan Border Gate, the model village of Zhoulian in Ningming district, etc.

The ninth Vietnam - China Border Defense Friendship Exchange will take place in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Vietnam’s Lang Son province on April 16 and 17.

The two defense ministers and delegates in a joint photo.

It is held right after the State visit to Vietnam by Party General Secretary and State President of China Xi Jinping and at the time that the two countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. It is a testament to the determination of the two parties, two states and people of the two countries to jointly foster the two countries’ time-honored friendship, thus deepening their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.