Ministers hail outcomes of Vietnam-China border defence exchange

Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh and his Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan hailed the third border defence friendship exchange between the two countries as a success following their meeting to review the event in Guangxi province on March 30.

Vietnamese Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh (right) and delegates were warmly welcomed in China. (Credit: VOV)
Vietnamese Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh (right) and delegates were warmly welcomed in China. (Credit: VOV)

Speaking to the press, Minister Phung Quang Thanh said the exchange has helped strengthen solidarity friendship and strategic trust between the people, armies and border guards of the two nations, as well as contribute to developing bilateral trade and tourism.

The event also creates a good chance for Vietnamese and Chinese armies to learn from each other in various fields such as military training and building up a regular army, he added.

The two sides’ armed forces will continue to hold similar exchanges and implement effectively their agreement on border defence co-operation, he said.

According to Minister Phung Quang Thanh, the two sides look to hold high-level delegation exchanges in the Gulf of Tonkin while co-ordinating to increase communications on the two countries’ three legal documents on the border.

For his part, Minister Chang Wanquan said the third Vietnam-China border defence friendship exchange has been successful, enhancing political trust and practical co-operation between the two armies.

The event contributes to building a border of peace, friendship, stability and development, thus satisfying the aspirations of people in the border areas and boosting the mutually beneficial co-operation across the board.

It also helped drive the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership forward in a practical, healthy, stable and sustainable manner, he stressed.