Speaking at the event, Hoang Nam, Permanent Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said that over the past fortnight, Quang Tri had become a hub of friendship, solidarity, and international cooperation. The activities carried out had been effective, leaving a lasting impression on both local people and international partners.

He stressed that in the context of Vietnam and the US upgrading their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties (1995–2025), the success of the Pacific Partnership in Quang Tri was particularly significant. It served as vivid evidence of the increasingly close, substantive and effective ties between the two nations, while opening up further opportunities for cooperation for peace, stability and sustainable development in each country, the region and the wider world.

Running from September 9, the programme comprised 13 activities across four main areas: humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; healthcare; construction and repair; and civil-military engagement. These initiatives contributed to improvements in healthcare, education, disaster response, explosive ordnance disposal and infrastructure. The programme’s dental team conducted 2,350 procedures for pupils at the local Gio Linh primary school; training was provided to enhance professional skills in neurology and physiotherapy; and 57 Vietnamese soldiers received basic rescue training. Public health lecturers joined 64 local medical staff in extended lifesaving and field care activities, as well as explosive ordnance disposal training. The Oregon national guard trained 27 officers on communications systems and drones, and donated 36 first-aid kits to partners at Quang Tri’s centre for disaster prevention and mitigation.

Launched by the US Government in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, the Pacific Partnership is a multinational training and humanitarian assistance initiative. Since 2007, Vietnam has hosted 12 such programmes in Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh, Nghe An and Quang Ngai. Each has yielded positive results, helping to strengthen friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and participating partner countries.

Pacific Friendship programme 2025 opens in Quang Tri

The Pacific Friendship programme 2025 opened in Dong Ha ward, central Quang Tri province, on September 9, marking one of the most prominent events celebrating the 30th anniversary of Vietnam-US diplomatic relations.