The Chinese rescue team is ready for the exercise. (Photo by Li Jin)
VIETNAM, Nov. 21 (ChinaMil) -- According to the agenda of the fifth high-level border meeting between Chinese and Vietnamese militaries, a China-Vietnam border area disaster relief joint drill was held in the vicinity of Phục Hòa District of Cao Bằng Province in the northeast region of Vietnam on November 20.
Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe, and Ngo Xuan Lich, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party and Defense Minister of Vietnam, inspected the joint drill and highly praised the efforts of the two militaries to deepen cooperation and deal with non-traditional security challenges.
The exercise was conceived as a typhoon hitting the border area between China and Vietnam. The Chinese side was invited to send a rescue team to participate in joint rescue in accordance with international rescue formation standards.
Luo Qiang, commander and coordinator of the Chinese participating troops, said that the idea and subjects of the drill were practical, embodying the spirit of cooperation between China and Vietnam in combating natural disasters.
“The context of the joint exercise is that such natural disasters as mountain torrents caused by typhoon have broken out in Cao Bằng Province of Vietnam, leading to victims in border areas. Through communication with the Chinese side, Vietnam requested Chinese side's assistance with disaster relief according to the Memorandum on Joint Disaster Relief Cooperation Mechanism. The Chinese side dispatched a rescue team to the stricken areas to assist the Vietnamese side in carrying out humanitarian relief. Vietnam is always affected by similar natural disasters all the year round. The subjects set in the drill reflect the spirit of collaboration in fighting against natural disasters,” Luo Qiang said.
The drill was organized in four stages: command post establishing, rescue preparation, rescue implementation, and rescue evacuation. Chinese and Vietnamese sides established a joint disaster relief command post to jointly implement search and rescue and medical assistance, and eight rescue subjects including dismantlement, top bracing, rescue in small spaces, ruin clearance, and casualties handling were set up during the drill.
145 personnel from the two sides participated in the exercise. They acted fast, cooperated closely, operated in line with the rules, and successfully completed the scheduled disaster rescue mission, displaying enterprising fighting spirit and superb professional skills.
Senior Colonel Wen Zhenzhou, commander-in-chief of the joint disaster relief exercise from the Chinese side, said that the drill provided a valuable platform for cooperation and exchanges between the two militaries in related fields.
“This drill is an exchange of military operations other than war (MOOTW) , in which the two sides have demonstrated the spirit of high-level cooperation and coordination. Exchanges between the two sides have been strengthened through this activity, which has further enhanced our mutual learning. There are many things Chinese side can learn from the Vietnamese rescue team,” added Wen.
Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe observed the drill on site and said that the joint drill reflected the results of the cooperation between the two militaries.
Ngo Xuan Lich, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party and Defense Minister of Vietnam, also spoke highly of the drill. He said at the scene that the successful completion of the drill reflected the spirit of friendly cooperation between the two countries and the two militaries, which will be conducive to building a border area of friendship, peace, stability, and common development between China and Vietnam.
“The drill today fully demonstrates the spirit of friendly cooperation between the two socialist neighbors who are ‘comrades and brothers’ by nature. The joint drill has made great contributions to the successful holding of the fifth Vietnam-China border defense exchanges,” added Ngo Xuan Lich.
The fifth high-level border meeting between Chinese and Vietnamese militaries was held in Longzhou County of Chongzuo City in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Cao Bang city of Cao Bằng Province in the Northeast region of Vietnam, and related port areas of Vietnam in succession since November 19, 2018.
Chinese rescuers equipped with professional equipment get ready to enter the rescue scene. (Photo by Li Jin)