Chinese Minister of National Defense Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun receives Vietnam’s Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang at the Dongxing International Border Gate. (Photo: Le Phuong)

The two delegations later visited the Dongxing Border Guard Company in Dongxing city, about 5 km from the Dongxing International Border Gate. There, they planted friendship trees and watched a friendly badminton match between the two militaries. The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense also presented gifts to officers and soldiers of the company.

The same day, the two ministers laid wreaths at a memorial dedicated to fallen revolutionary soldiers of Vietnam and China, located in the China–Vietnam Friendship Park in Dongxing city.

They then visited the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail Relic Site at the Fangchenggang Port in Guangxi province.

General Phan Van Giang, Vietnam’s Minister of National Defense, visits the Dongxing Border Guard Company. (Photo: Le Phuong)

The two-day friendship exchange concluded with a farewell ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation on Thursday at the Dongxing International Border Gate.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the exchange, Lieutenant General Nguyen Anh Tuan, Political Commissar of the Border Guard, said, “Defense exchanges, especially border friendship programs, are strategic external activities that help build a border of peace, friendship, stability, and development.”

General Phan Van Giang and Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun lay wreaths at a memorial dedicated to fallen revolutionary soldiers of Vietnam and China. (Photo: Le Phuong)

“This edition stands out as the two sides, through their talks, continue to consolidate, promote, and concretize the strategic orientations agreed upon by the two Parties and States, thereby increasing political trust and advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership towards a shared future.”

“More importantly, both sides place great emphasis on nurturing and strengthening the traditional solidarity between the two Parties, the two States, their militaries, and peoples based on mutual respect and international law to jointly build and safeguard a region of peace, stability, and sustainable development,” said Tuan.