The opening ceremony of the Pacific Partnership 2019 program (Photo: qdnd.vn)

The program, initiated by the United States Navy in 2004, will run until next Saturday with activities that include free medical examinations, medical expertise exchanges, construction and repair of hospitals and schools, and a conference on natural disaster response. PP19 will be held simultaneously in Vietnam, Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Micronesia, Malaysia, East Timor, and Thailand.

PP19 in Vietnam has worked with localities and local administrative agencies to provide free medical services, organize seminars on healthcare and disaster response, and build 2 primary schools.

PP19 head Colonel Randy Van Rossum says countries have different experience in responding to natural disasters. The US wants to help Vietnam improve its ability to respond to natural disasters.

Vice Chairman of Phu Yen’s provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Chi Hien told VOV: “With a coastline of nearly 190km often battered by typhoons and flooding, Phu Yen province understands the importance of improving its healthcare, construction, and disaster response capabilities. PP19 is a valuable opportunity for the province to strengthen its capacity.”

PP19 was created to cope with one of the most tragic natural disasters in history, the tsunami of December, 2004, which devastated many places in the South and Southeast Asia.