Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich (R) and his Chinese counterpart Sen. Lieut. Gen. Wei Fenghe sign a memorandum of understanding (Source: VNA) Cao Bang (VNA) – A seminar and a cultural and art exchange washeld in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang on November 20 as part ofthe fifth Vietnam-China border defence friendship exchange.
At the seminar,delegates reviewed cooperation between the two countries’ border guard forcesand people and discussed measures to increase the effectiveness of bilateralborder defence collaboration in the coming time.
Vietnamese Deputy Ministerof National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh said the defence exchangeis co-chaired by the two defence ministries, but the beneficiaries are thepeople, especially those in border areas.
Through theexchanges, mutual understanding between commanders, officers and soldiers has improved,helping them build trust and work together to safeguard their nations.
Lieut. Gen. ShaoYuanming, Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff Department of China's CentralMilitary Commission, said relations between the two countries and armies haveenjoyed positive development this year. High-level meetings between the two armieshave been held, during which their leaders exchanged views on issues of sharedconcern and reached agreements.
Contributing ideasto increasing the effectiveness of cooperation between units along theChina-Vietnam borderline, Colonel Yang Binbin, Commander of Mengzi Border GuardForce in China’s Yunnan province, said the force has worked to help tighten tiesbetween the two armies to protect the border as well as security and stabilitybetween the two countries.
To diversifycooperation, he suggested both sides expand cultural and sport exchanges, andstrengthen coordination between local authorities to increase trust between thearmies and people in border areas.
After the seminar,Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich and his Chinesecounterpart Sen. Lieut. Gen. Wei Fenghe signed a memorandum of understandingand agreed to hold the sixth edition of the exchange in 2019.
The two ministersare scheduled to visit the Pac Bo historical relic site in Cao Bang provinces,before wrapping up all activities of the fifth exchange.
The firstVietnam-China border defence friendship exchange programme was held in 2014 inQuang Ninh province, the second took place in Lao Cai in 2015, the third inLang Son in 2016 and the fourth in Lai Chau last year.–VNA
VNA
