Under the direction of the Minister of National Defence and pursuant to the plan of the Department of Foreign Relations under the Ministry of National Defence regarding the organisation of the 9th Vietnam–China Border Defence Friendship Exchange, the memorandum of understanding between the Vietnamese and Chinese defence ministries on joint patrols in the Gulf of Tonkin, and the outcomes of the 17th annual meeting on joint naval patrols in the area, the Vietnam People’s Navy is deploying vessels 015 and 016, along with a working delegation, to China from April 10–19, 2025, to take part in activities under the exchange programme and carry out a joint patrol with the Chinese Navy in the Gulf of Tonkin.

On the morning of April 16, frigates 015–Tran Hung Dao and 016–Quang Trung (Brigade 162, Naval Region 4) and a Vietnamese naval delegation led by Colonel Do Minh, Deputy Commander of Naval Region 4, departed from Beihai Naval Port (Beihai City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China) to begin the 38th joint patrol with the Chinese Navy in the Gulf of Tonkin.

For this joint patrol, the Chinese Navy deployed two frigates, numbered 628 and 630, commanded by Colonel Zhao Yanwu, Commander of the Chinese Navy’s frigate squadron. Prior to departure, Colonel Do Minh and Colonel Zhao Yanwu reported online to the ministers of national defence of both countries who were attending the 9th Vietnam–China Border Defence Friendship Exchange in Guangxi on the outcomes of the exchange activities in Beihai and preparations for the joint patrol mission.

As part of the joint patrol, the two navies will also conduct joint exercises on search and rescue and light signal communications at sea.

Missile frigates 015 and 016 are among the most modern surface combatants of the Vietnam People’s Navy. This marks the first time these vessels are participating in a joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin; previously, the Navy mainly deployed vessels from Naval Region 1 for such missions.

Notable activities in this programme include a meeting and exchange between the patrol task force commanders of the two navies; a sports exchange between officers and sailors of both sides; the 38th joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin; and joint search and rescue drills within the framework of the patrol.

Vietnamese and Chinese coast guards carry out joint patrols in Gulf of Tonkin

VOV.VN - Vietnamese and Chinese coast guards successfully conducted a joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin from December 22 to December 23 as a contribution to the waters of peace, stability, and mutually beneficial co-operation.