The Ministry of National Defense held a press briefing this morning to introduce the 9th edition of the Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange.

Colonel Nguyen Duy Minh, Deputy Director of the Ministry’s Department of Foreign Relations, said the event will take place from April 16 to 17, with activities scheduled in Lang Son Province (Vietnam) and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China).

The Vietnamese delegation will be led by General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense. His Chinese counterpart will head the Chinese delegation.

On April 16 in China, there will be an official welcoming ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation, a visit to the Youyi Pass tourist area, and a tour of the Youyi Pass Border Guard Station. The two ministers will also witness a joint naval patrol conducted online.

They will also visit the smart border gate at Youyi Pass, a local primary school in Pingxiang City, and a cultural village in the border area.

On April 17, activities will move to Vietnam, including an official welcoming ceremony for the Chinese delegation and a symbolic tree-planting ceremony. The two ministers will visit Dong Dang Primary School, the Huu Nghi International Border Gate Border Guard Station, and the Viettel Logistics Park operated by the Military Industry and Telecommunications Group.

The ministers will also hold bilateral talks and witness the signing of a cooperation agreement.

Lieutenant Colonel Cao Van Dan, Acting Editor-in-Chief of the Naval Newspaper, shared details about the joint naval patrol. Vietnam’s Navy will coordinate with the Southern Theater Command Navy of China’s People’s Liberation Army to carry out the 38th joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Vietnam will deploy its two most modern surface combat ships, the missile corvettes 015-Tran Hung Dao and 016-Quang Trung, for a friendship visit and the patrol mission.

“This will be the first time both ships participate in a joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin,” said Lieutenant Colonel Cao Van Dan.

The Vietnamese vessels are scheduled to depart Cam Ranh Military Port on April 10, heading to Beihai Naval Port (Guangxi, China), where the Chinese Navy will host a welcoming ceremony. Activities will include meetings between the two navies' commanders, sports competitions between naval officers, and mutual ship visits.

A joint patrol will follow, including collaborative training exercises on maritime search and rescue.

Also this morning, the Ministry of National Defense shared details about a major cultural and artistic event to be held in April.

Titled “The nation’s joy,” the epic-style art program will feature 24 works. The show narrates Vietnam's journey through art, celebrating the leadership of the Communist Party and President Ho Chi Minh, the heroic spirit and victories of the Vietnamese military and people, and the iconic image of “Uncle Ho’s soldiers” during the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

The performance is scheduled for the evening of April 20 on the outdoor stage in front of Thong Nhat Hall (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City).

Colonel Dang My Hanh, Head of the Department of Cultural and Artistic Affairs under the General Department of Politics, said over 1,000 performers from within and outside the military will take part, including well-known singers Cam Van, Tung Duong, and People’s Artist Thanh Thuy, along with standout contestants from the program “Anh Trai Vuot Ngan Chong Gai” (Call Me By Fire). These performers will present a new act created exclusively for the event.

Senior leaders, former leaders of the Party, State, Vietnam Fatherland Front, Ho Chi Minh City, veteran revolutionaries, heroic Vietnamese mothers, Heroes of the Armed Forces, Labor Heroes, and generals are expected to attend.

Tran Thuong