Key events include high-level meetings between the commanders of the Vietnamese and Chinese patrol fleets, friendly sports exchanges between naval officers and sailors of both countries, and the countries’ 38th joint patrol in the Gulf’s waters.
Taking part in this mission are Vietnam’s most advanced surface combatants – the missile frigates 015 and 016. This marks the first time these modern warships are participating in a joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin.
The Chinese navy, meanwhile, sends two missile frigates, hull numbers 628 and 630, to the operation.
As part of the joint mission, the two navies will also carry out coordinated training exercises in search and rescue operations and visual signalling.
