Defense diplomacy is an important part of Vietnam’s foreign policy, which aims to maintain a peaceful and stable environment for national development.
Vietnam’s foreign policy underscored
Held every 2 years, the Border Friendship Exchange furthers Vietnam’s goal of forging friendships and cooperation with other countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). Major General Phung Quoc Tuan, Deputy Political Commissar of the Vietnam Border Guard High Command, said: “The program aims to strengthen border defense diplomacy to meet demands of the new period. It reflects coordination between border guard forces of Vietnam and its neighbors in implementing border agreements and regulations on border gate management, safeguarding borderlines and border markers, fighting crime and natural disasters, protecting the environment, and search and rescue efforts. The program uses an effective model of twin relationships between border posts, harmonious border gates, and peaceful borders for the solidarity, friendship, cooperation, and happiness of people in border areas.”
Since 2014, when the first border friendship exchange was held, Vietnam’s border guard units have conducted thousands of talks, meetings, and joint border patrols with China, Laos, and Cambodia.
The model of twin border posts helping each other’s economic development has proven effective.
Meeting new demands
The Mekong River runs through 6 countries, which connect Asia’s major economies and the wider world. These countries are making efforts to shift their growth model and address shared challenges, including border issues. Vietnam continues to implement initiatives of the Greater Mekong Sub-region by prioritizing transport infrastructure, border gate economies, and cross-border cooperation. Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Commander of the Vietnam Border Guard, said:“In 155 seaports and dozens of economic and export processing zones, we have reformed administrative procedures and simplified entry-exit formalities for people and goods passing through border areas and border gates. By doing so, Vietnam has been an active member of the national and ASEAN one-stop-shop system in line with the joint declaration of the 6th Greater Mekong Sub-region Summit held in late March.”
The friendship exchange between border guard forces and locals creates an opportunity for Vietnam and its neighbors to share experience, build trust, and strengthen defense diplomacy.