Delegates at the Pacific Partnership – Pacific Friendship 2026 (PP-PF 26) mission in Đồng Hới ward on Monday. VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG TRỊ – The Quảng Trị Provincial People’s Committee and the US Embassy in Việt Nam kicked off the Pacific Partnership – Pacific Friendship 2026 (PP-PF 26) mission in Đồng Hới Ward on Monday.

It brought together about 300 US military personnel and experts, along with representatives of Vietnamese agencies and units, targeting stronger disaster-response capacity, community health care, humanitarian assistance and people-to-people exchanges.

Pacific Partnership (PP) is the US Navy’s largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Friendship (PF), co-hosted by US Army Pacific and the 18th Theater Medical Command, concentrates on humanitarian aid and capacity building in engineering, medical services and disaster management.

This year marks the first time the two missions have been combined and held in Quảng Trị, creating a broad cooperation platform of 25 activities across four areas, including humanitarian assistance and disaster preparedness, health care, community infrastructure construction and repair, and community engagement.

In his opening speech, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Hoàng Nam noted that 2026 marks the 31st anniversary of Việt Nam-US diplomatic ties. From early war aftermath remediation and initial humanitarian cooperation, the two countries have developed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based on trust, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to peace and prosperity.

He said the PP-PF mission stands as a vivid symbol of solidarity, cooperation and community responsibility. Healthcare, education, disaster response and development projects deliver tangible benefits to locals while deepening connections, mutual understanding and cross-border friendship.

For Quảng Trị, being chosen again to host the mission is both an honour and a reflection of the confidence placed in the province by the Vietnamese and US Governments, as well as international partners.

Quảng Trị, once a war-ravaged battleground, has championed peace, evolving into a destination of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, he said, adding that it highly values effective cooperation with the US, including the search for missing persons, unexploded ordnance clearance, support for Agent Orange/dioxin victims, health care, education and community development, which have delivered tangible benefits while building trust between their people.

Acting US Secretary of the Navy Hùng Cao, in his address, said the mission’s greatest value is not simply the number of projects completed or patients treated, but the relationships built, knowledge shared and trust forged among partners well before disaster strikes.

Cao recalled the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history, stressing that effective disaster response begins long before catastrophe hits. That recognition of the need for preparedness, coordination and readiness led to the creation of the PP mission, he said.

The mission is about more than short-term aid, focusing instead on strengthening local capacity so communities can respond proactively. Readiness, he noted, is gauged not just by ships, aircraft or technical systems but by the trust built among nations, forces and communities.

Under the PP-PF 26, US and Vietnamese experts will hold professional exchanges spanning disaster response, public health, epidemic prevention, unexploded ordnance clearance, veterinary services, infrastructure construction and cultural exchanges.

The PP-PF 26 coincides with Quảng Trị’s 2026 Festival for Peace, spreading messages of peace, cooperation and sustainable development. The humanitarian work, experience sharing and people-to-people exchanges reaffirm the joint push by Việt Nam, the US and partners to build a safe, stable and resilient Indo-Pacific in the face of future challenges. — VNA/VNS