Chinese, Vietnamese Armies To Conduct Joint Patrols In South China Sea - Defense Ministry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2022) The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Vietnamese navy will conduct joint patrols in the Gulf of Tonkin (Beibu Gulf) in the South China Sea on Thursday and Friday, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said.

"According to the agreement between the Chinese and Vietnamese militaries, the troops assigned to China's PLA Southern Theater Command and the Vietnam People's Navy will carry out their 33rd joint patrol in Beibu Gulf from November 24 to 25," Wu said at a briefing on Thursday.

The spokesman noted that the joint patrol was a planned exchange between the armies of China and Vietnam aimed at developing friendship and good neighborliness, as well as jointly maintaining security and stability in the Beibu Gulf area and the healthy, stable development of Sino-Vietnamese relations.