The 9th Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange officially commenced.

The welcoming ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation at the Huu Nghi Quan border gate (China) was conducted solemnly under the chairmanship of the Chinese Minister of National Defense , General Dong Jun.

The delegation included members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam: Deputy Minister of National Defence, Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien; Deputy Minister of Public Security , Lieutenant General Tran Quoc To; Commander of the Border Guard, Lieutenant General Le Duc Thai; Commander of Military Region 1, Lieutenant General Nguyen Hong Thai; Commander of the Air Defense - Air Force Command, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Hien; and Commander of the Vietnam Navy, Vice Admiral Tran Thanh Nghiem.

Also joining the delegation were comrades: Secretary of the Lang Son Provincial Party Committee Hoang Van Nghiem, and representatives from the heads of agencies and units under the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs .

Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang, and the Vietnamese delegation salute the sovereignty marker before traveling to China to participate in activities as part of the exchange program.

Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang, performs the ritual of applying red paint to the Vietnamese sovereignty marker.

A high-level delegation from the Ministry of National Defence, led by Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang, departed from Huu Nghi International Border Gate, Lang Son province.

Chinese Minister of National Defence, General Dong Jun, welcomed the high-level delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence.

The delegations from both countries participated in the exchange program, which included: visiting the Friendship Pass Tourist Area; visiting the Border Guard Company at Friendship Pass; witnessing the patrol teams of the two navies giving online reports before conducting joint patrols; planting friendship trees; visiting the smart border gate at Friendship Pass; visiting Elementary School No. 4 in Pingxiang City; and visiting the model village of Chu Lian in Ningming County.

Chinese Minister of National Defense, General Dong Jun, presents flowers to Vietnamese Minister of National Defense, General Phan Van Giang.

The Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange is an annual event held in the border provinces of Vietnam and China, increasingly developing in both breadth and depth with rich content and many practical and meaningful activities. This program has significant political importance, supported by leaders at all levels, approved by the people of both countries, and attracting international attention. Through each exchange, Vietnam-China defense cooperation has made positive progress, contributing to deepening the relationship between the two countries and their armed forces.

In particular, the exchange program took place immediately after the State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping at the invitation of General Secretary To Lam and President Luong Cuong, contributing to the realization of the common understanding of high-level leaders of Vietnam and China; affirming the role of defense cooperation and the two Ministries of Defense in strengthening the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Vietnam and China.

During the visit, the leaders of the two countries issued a Joint Statement between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the People's Republic of China on further deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and promoting the building of a strategically significant Vietnam-China community with a shared future.

Accordingly, both sides reaffirmed the need to build a more substantive pillar of defense and security cooperation, emphasizing that defense and security cooperation is one of the pillars of Vietnam-China relations, making an important contribution to consolidating strategic trust between the two Parties and the two countries.

Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang, waves to delegates at the Huu Nghi Quan border gate (China).

Specifically, both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation mechanisms on defense and security; enhance exchanges and promote key cooperation activities; agree to strengthen high-level and other exchanges between the two countries' militaries; effectively utilize mechanisms such as the Border Defense Friendship Exchange and the Defense Strategic Dialogue; promote exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries in areas such as political work, personnel training, strategic research, and joint research; strengthen cooperation in defense industry, joint exercises and training, and reciprocal naval visits; and continue to expand cooperation in areas such as medical logistics, UN peacekeeping, and non-traditional security.

Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang, and high-ranking delegates from the Ministry of National Defence participated in activities within the Vietnam-China bilateral exchange program.

Senior delegates from the Ministry of National Defence participated in activities within the Vietnam-China bilateral exchange program.

In addition, the two sides deepened cooperation in border security, strengthened coordination in border management, deployed joint border patrols on land, encouraged border guards of the two countries to establish friendly relations, and enhanced friendly exchanges in border areas; promoted the role of the joint patrol mechanism in the Gulf of Tonkin, effectively implemented joint patrol activities in the Gulf of Tonkin; and deepened the mechanism of exchange and cooperation between the navies and coast guards of the two countries...

Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang, Chinese Minister of National Defence Dong Jun, and delegations from the two countries' Ministries of Defence pose for a commemorative photo.

The following activities are scheduled to take place in Vietnam tomorrow (April 17th): a welcoming ceremony for the Chinese delegation; planting a friendship tree; visiting Dong Dang Primary School and attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the multi-purpose building; visiting the Huu Nghi International Border Gate Border Guard Station; touring the Logistics Park of the Military Industry and Telecommunications Group; and holding talks and witnessing the signing of cooperation documents.

Here are some photos of exchanges at various locations and areas on both sides of the border.

Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang and Chinese Minister of National Defence Dong Jun planted a commemorative tree in the grounds of the Huu Nghi Quan Border Gate Border Guard Company, China.

Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang and Minister Dong Quan visit Primary School No. 4 in Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.

Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang and Minister Dong Quan present gifts to Primary School No. 4, Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.

Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang and Minister Dong Quan present gifts to students of Primary School No. 4, Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.

Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang and Minister Dong Quan with students from Primary School No. 4, Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang and Minister Dong Quan, along with other delegates, pose for a photo with the teachers and students.

Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang and other delegates visited the handicraft products of the model village of Chu Lien, Pingxiang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.