General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defence of Vietnam, hosted the official welcoming ceremony for General Dong Jun and the Chinese delegation.

Along with the welcoming ceremony, the two sides are scheduled to take part in other activities, including the planting of friendship trees; a visit to Dong Dang Primary School and the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a newly constructed multipurpose building; a visit to the Huu Nghi (Friendship) International Border Gate Border Guard Station; and a tour of the Viettel Group’s Logistics Park.

They are to hold bilateral talks and witness a signing ceremony of cooperation documents at Muong Thanh Hotel.

Earlier, Gen. Giang and the high-level delegation of the Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam successfully concluded a series of exchange activities held on the same day in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China) within the framework of the ninth Border Defence Friendship Exchange.

While in China, the Vietnamese delegation visited the Youyi Pass Scenic Area and the Youyi Pass Border Guard Battalion. They observed a joint naval patrol briefing via video call between naval forces of the two countries before the actual joint patrol. They planted friendship trees, toured the smart border gate at Youyi Guan, visited Primary School No. 4 in Pingxiang City, and visited Zhu Lian model village in Ningming County.

Gen. Giang and the Vietnamese delegation received a warm welcome from the Ministry of National Defence of China, local authorities, and the people of Pingxiang City.

The farewell ceremony for Gen. Giang and the Vietnamese delegation was held at Youyi Guan Border Gate in China, with many Chinese residents in the border area in attendance.

The Vietnam-China Border Defence Friendship Exchange is a key defence diplomacy activity, jointly organised by the Ministries of National Defence of both countries since 2014. Over the years, the exchange has featured practical and meaningful activities such as joint patrols, humanitarian medical care, tree planting, cultural and sports exchanges, and school visits. These activities have helped strengthen political trust, deepen defence cooperation between the two countries, and contribute to building a peaceful and developing border area.

This year’s friendship exchange is taking place shortly after Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Vietnam, and on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It is a testament to the determination of the two Parties, States, and peoples to nurture the traditional Vietnam-China friendship, thereby further deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

Border friendship exchange enhances Vietnam-China defence links

VOV.VN - The 9th Vietnam-China Border Defence Friendship Exchange officially kicked off on April 16 at the Huu Nghi International Border Gate in Lang Son province, with a greeting ceremony and the marking of milestone 1116, conducted by General Phan Van Giang and a high-ranking delegation from the Vietnam Ministry of National Defence.