Vietnamese, Chinese border forces hold joint patrol

A joint patrol between Vietnamese and Chinese border forces was conducted in Muong Khuong district in Lao Cai province on May 16, in the presence of Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh and his Chinese counterpart Sen. Lt. Gen. Chang Wanquan.

Vietnamese and Chinese border guards carry out the joint patrol.

The patrol came as part of activities for the second Vietnam-China border defence friendship exchange that is taking place from May 15-18.

Following the event, the two ministers cut a ribbon together to inaugurate the Vietnam-China border friendship culture house in Na Loc 4 hamlet, Ban Lau commune in Muong Khuong, which was built with funds from the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence.

Earlier, defence delegates from the two countries visited the border guard station in Lau village.

According to the head of the station, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Phi Khanh, his unit is responsible for safeguarding a 13.1 km-long border route and managing 10 national border markers. It has also been contributing to crime prevention along the border shared by Vietnam and China.

The unit has also been active in calling on the people of Vietnam and China to strictly abide by border-related regulations as stated in legal documents signed between the two Governments.

Talking to officers and soldiers at the station, Defence Minister Thanh asked Lao Cai’s border force in general and those in Ban Lau to boost links with the Chinese border forces to ensure security and social order in border areas, facilitating the two people’s economic development.

Chinese Defence Minister Chang Wanquan spoke of the Vietnamese border station’s activities, commenting that it stands out in the process of developing and modernising Vietnam’s armed forces, contributing to building a peaceful Vietnam-China borderline.

Later that day, the Chinese Defence Ministry’s delegates left Lao Cai for China, satisfactorily concluding exchange activities in Vietnam.

As scheduled, a delegation from Vietnam’s Defence Ministry will travel to China to attend exchange activities on the Chinese side of the border.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)