Phan Văn Giang, Member of the Politburo and Minister of National Defence, and Minister of National Defence of China Dong Jun sign a memorandum of understanding between the defence ministries. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The 8th Việt Nam-China Border Defence Friendship Exchange Programme took place on Thursday at the Lào Cai International Border Gate in the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai.

This event is organised to contribute to strengthening the friendship and solidarity between the defence ministries, local authorities and the people of the two countries.

Phan Văn Giang, Member of the Politburo and Minister of National Defence, and Minister of National Defence of China Dong Jun co-chaired the exchange programme.

The programme includes activities held in Việt Nam’s Lào Cai Province and China’s Yunnan until Friday.

The Chinese delegation was welcomed on Thursday at the border demarcation line of Lào Cai International Border Gate, with the attendance of the Ministers of Defence of Việt Nam and China.

During the event, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding between the defence ministries on establishing a hotline among the naval forces, the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence, and the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army of China.

The two ministers discussed future cooperation directions to promote delegation exchanges, enhance the mechanism of strategic defence dialogue, and promote cooperation in training, management and border protection.

The two ministers visit Kim Đồng Primary School in Cốc Lếu Ward in Lào Cai City. VNA/VNS Photo

The exchange programme in Lào Cai include a saluting ceremony, border marker painting, planting friendship trees, inauguration ceremony of Bản Phiệt friendship cultural house and visits to Kim Đồng Primary School in Cốc Lếu Ward in Lào Cai City.

In the ten years since its first programme in 2014, the Việt Nam-China Border Defence Friendship Exchange Programme has become an important foreign defence event, demonstrating the political determination of both sides to enhance friendship and solidarity between the people, local authorities, and defence ministries of the two countries, together building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developed border. — VNS