Vietnam, China begin joint sea patrol

Colonel Luong Cao Khai, Vice Commander and Chief of Staff of the Vietnam Coast Guard Region 1 leads the Vietnamese fleet (Photo: https://www.qdnd.vn/)

The Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) and the China Coast Guard (CCG) on November 3 kick-started their second joint patrol in 2022 in the waters adjacent to the demarcation line in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Colonel Luong Cao Khai, Vice Commander and Chief of Staff of the Vietnam Coast Guard Region 1 leads the Vietnamese fleet. Meanwhile, the Chinese fleet is led by Huang Min, Director of the fourth bureau’s law enforcement department under the CCG.

During the greeting ceremony on the same day morning, the Vietnamese side congratulated the Chinese side on the success of the 20th National Party Congress, affirming that the traditional friendship between the two countries is a precious asset of the two parties, states and peoples.

Vietnam always attaches importance to promoting the Vietnam – China cooperation and comprehensive strategic partnership, Colonel Khai said, adding that this is a top priority in the country’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, persification, multilateralisation, active and proactive international integration.

A ship of the China Coast Guard (Photo: https://www.qdnd.vn/)

He highlighted the increasing cooperation between the VCG and the CCG, affirming that the joint patrol demonstrates the close cooperation of the two countries' maritime law enforcement agencies in the Gulf of Tonkin, contributing to further strengthening their traditional friendship and jointly building the Gulf of Tonkin waters into a sea of peace, stability and respect for the law.

For his part, the Chinese officer expressed his pleasure at the maintenance and development of the joint patrol operation between the two coast guard forces, believing that the two sides will complete safely and smoothly the patrol – the fifth of such move since 2020.

During the joint patrol, the forces also conducted educational activities targeting fishing vessels operating in the area./.