Vietnam holds first planning conference for AMNEX 2/2020 hinh anh 1The first planning conference  for the second ASEAN Multilateral Naval Exercise is held in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Hanoi (VNA) – The High Command of Vietnam People’s Navy on December 20 held the first planning conference in Nha Trang for the second ASEAN Multilateral Naval Exercise (AMNEX 2/2020), which will take place in Vietnam in 2020.

The event was attended by naval officers of ASEAN countries and representatives of the Lao People’s Army and Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence.

Following the success of the first AMNEX held by the Royal Thai Navy in 2017, Vietnam will host the second AMNEX in May, 2020. To prepare for the exercise, the Vietnam People’s Navy will hold three planning conferences, according to deputy chief of staff of the Vietnam People’s Navy Colonel Dam Xuan Tuan.

During the conference, the Vietnam People’s Navy announced the plans for the AMNEX 2/2020 and related events and received recommendations from the navies of other ASEAN states for plans relating to logistic works.

Naval officers from ASEAN countries and representatives of the Lao armed forces later visited the Vietnam Naval Academy and Cam Ranh Port in Nha Trang.

Last year, Vietnam’s naval ship HQ 012-Ly Thai To attended the first AMNEX and an international fleet review on and around Sattaship Naval Base in the north of the Gulf of Thailand from November 14 – 29.

The AMNEX 2017 featured a harbour-phase exercise, an oil-spill response symposium, discussions on marine environment protection and arrest of ships carrying illegal chemicals, and sport exchanges.

The event was part of activities to mark the 50th ASEAN anniversary. –VNA

VNA