Vietnamese, Philippine navies hold friendship exchange

The naval forces of Việt Nam and the Philippines meet to share information at the friendship exchange on Song Tử Tây Island on July 10. Photo qdnd.vn

HÀ NỘI – The Việt Nam People’s Navy and the Philippine Navy held the 7th friendship exchange on Song Tử Tây Island of Việt Nam on July 10.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Col. Ngô Đình Xuyên, Deputy Commander of Naval Region 4, and the Philippine side by Col. Enstein Calaoa, Deputy Commander for Marine Operations of the Philippines’ Naval Forces West.

The latest exchange, following the 6th held on Song Tử Đông Island of Việt Nam in October 2023, aimed to continue enhancing the friendship, cooperation, trust, and mutual understanding between the two countries’ militaries and navies.

It was a step to effectively implement the memorandum of understanding on strengthening bilateral cooperation and sharing information signed between the two navies in October 2011, along with the mechanism of friendship exchanges on Song Tử Tây and Song Tử Đông signed in March 2012.

Highlighting the progress in the two militaries and navies’ partnerships, Xuyên said that under the MoU, they have increased all-level mutual visits, organised bilateral naval consultations and friendship exchanges on the two islands, sent vessels to visit each other’s ports, supported and participated in international multilateral events held by each side, and worked together in fishermen rescue.

The mechanism of friendship exchanges on Song Tử Tây and Song Tử Đông provides an important basis for promoting friendship and cooperation between the two navies in a intensive and effective manner, helping maintain peace, stability, and development in the region, he emphasised.

The official called on both sides to continue sharing information about disaster warnings, maritime security and safety, search and rescue, and marine pollution in the vicinity of Song Tử Tây and Song Tử Đông. They should also step up coordination to deal with incidents at sea, carry out search and rescue, and give fair and humanitarian treatment to fishermen of each country who are in distress at sea in accordance with the countries’ MoU on incident prevention and management in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea), signed in January 2024.

For his part, Calaoa perceived that friendship interactions help deepen mutual understanding and trust between the Vietnamese and Philippine navies, thus contributing to the countries’ friendship as well as the maintenance of peace, stability, security, and safety in sea areas of each country and the region.

At the event, the two sides shared information on search and rescue, marine security, and disaster warnings. They also joined in some sports, musical, and culinary activities. – VNS