The Vietnam Coast Guard is strengthening exchanges and cooperation with many countries.

On February 27th, the Vietnam Coast Guard engaged in exchange and cooperation activities with the coast guards of China and France.

Joint patrol with the Chinese coast guard.

The Vietnam Coast Guard disseminates information and reminds Vietnamese fishing vessels to strictly comply with IUU regulations when operating in border waters (Photo: VNA).

On February 27th, the coast guard forces of Vietnam and China conducted their first joint patrol of 2025 in the northern part of the Gulf of Tonkin. The patrol covered the areas of Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province (Vietnam) and Dongxing City and Fangcheng Port City, Guangxi Province (China). The activity aimed to strengthen coordination in combating crime and violations of maritime law.

The scope of this joint patrol extends from point 1 to point 9 on the demarcation line of the Gulf of Tonkin, covering a distance of 120 nautical miles. This area is a hub for import and export activities and trade between Vietnam and China, and is also a region exploited by individuals to carry out illegal activities such as smuggling, trade fraud, illegal transportation of goods, and illegal border crossings and entry by sea.

During patrols, the Vietnamese coast guard actively disseminated information and notified dozens of fishing vessels operating in the border waters to strictly comply with regulations on IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing. This aims to contribute to lifting the European Commission's (EC) yellow card and developing Vietnam's fisheries sector sustainably.

This is the fifth joint patrol in the border waters since 2024, conducted quarterly by the coast guard forces of both countries to regularly maintain security and order and ensure compliance with the law by citizens of both countries.

Strengthening training cooperation with the French navy.

The Vietnam Coast Guard is strengthening training cooperation with the French Navy (Photo: VNA).

On the afternoon of February 27th in Hanoi, Major General Vu Trung Kien, Deputy Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard's Law Enforcement Division, met and worked with Rear Admiral Jacques Riviere, Deputy Commander of the French Forces in the Pacific .

On February 28th, the French Navy's multi-purpose escort ship Provence, with 159 officers and crew members, is expected to arrive at Bong Sen port, beginning a courtesy visit to Ho Chi Minh City. On this occasion, Rear Admiral Jacques Riviere expressed his desire for the Vietnamese Coast Guard and the Provence to conduct joint search and rescue exercises, thereby enhancing exchange and mutual learning.

During the meeting, the Deputy Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard's Law Enforcement Department, Major General Vu Trung Kien, highly appreciated the cooperation activities between the Vietnam Coast Guard and the French side in recent times, emphasizing the courtesy visits of French naval vessels and the training courses organized by France to enhance the capacity to perform tasks at sea.

Major General Vu Trung Kien believes that the potential for cooperation between the Vietnam Coast Guard and the French Navy is still very large, especially in cooperating to address non-traditional security challenges such as: combating transnational crime, resolving environmental issues, search and rescue, and addressing maritime security risks.

Looking ahead, both sides agreed to continue strengthening cooperation in capacity building, information exchange, coordination, and mutual support in maritime law enforcement.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/canh-sat-bien-viet-nam-tang-cuong-giao-luu-hop-tac-voi-nhieu-quoc-gia-210524.html