The China Coast Guard exchanges with the Việt Nam Coast Guard. VNA/VNS Photo

HẢI PHÒNG – Delegations of the Việt Nam Coast Guard (VCG) and the China Coast Guard (CCG) joined in an exchange on the VCG’s Vessel 8004 in the northern city of Hai Phong on Wednesday as part of their first exchange programme on Party and political affairs.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Political Commissar of the VCG Lieutenant General Bùi Quốc Oai while the Chinese side by Deputy Political Commissar of the CCG Major General Liu Houjie.

Welcoming the Chinese delegation, Major General Trần Văn Thọ, Commander of Việt Nam’s Coast Guard Region 1, said relations between the two Parties, Governments, and armies have been growing comprehensively, intensively, and substantively over the past years. The two coast guard forces have also unceasingly expanded and deepened their cooperation activities.

He elaborated that the Coast Guard Region 1 Command has chaired many cooperation activities with the CCG’s Nanhai division, including holding 28 joint patrols on the water adjacent to the demarcation line in the Gulf of Tonkin since 2005, and increasing patrols to fight crimes in the waters adjacent to this demarcation line.

The VCG and the Coast Guard Region 1 Command always view the CCG as a cooperation partner of leading importance in the region. They are determined to join hands with the CCG to nurture the close and productive collaboration to become a bright spot in maritime law enforcement cooperation in the region, Thọ stated.

At the exchange, Liu expressed his hope that the two coast guard forces will keep tightening relations to substantially help guarantee security and maintain stability in their countries’ sea areas. VNS