Under permission of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Defence, two naval ships departed from the central city of Da Nang on June 22 to take part in the 15th joint patrol with Chinese naval forces.
During the joint patrol, the HQ 011 and HQ 012 vessels will conduct a joint training with Chinese naval ships in search and rescue, and exchange experience in this field.
The two Vietnamese ships with more than 200 officers and sailors aboard will also sail to Zhan Jiang, a city in the Chinese southern coastal province of Guangdong, for a visit, where the Vietnamese seamen will pay a courtesy visit to the city authorities and the High Command of the Nanhai Fleet.
They will also visit the fleet’s joint-patrol ships, exchange sea patrol experience and take part in sports and cultural exchanges with the fleet’s units.
They also intend to go sightseeing in and around the city.
The joint patrol aims to strengthen the friendly relationship and the mutual understanding and trust between the two armies and navies of Vietnam and China . It is also designed to enhance the effectiveness of activity coordination in implementing the agreement on joint patrol with the Chinese navy, thus contributing to maintaining order and security in the Tonkin Gulf and Vietnam’s waters. This is expected to create a friendly atmosphere and reduce risks of clashes at sea. -VNA
