Beijing (VNA) – A high-ranking military delegation of Vietnam led by DeputyMinister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh is paying a workingvisit to China from February 19 to 22.

Duringthe visit, the Vietnamese official paid a courtesy visit to Chinese Minister ofNational Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Wei Fenghe. He also held talks with Deputy Chiefof Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission Lt. Gen.Shao Yuanming, and visited some Chinese industrial companies.

Bothsides affirmed that the bilateral defence cooperation forms an important partof the Vietnam-China relations and has been consolidated over the years.Notably, exchanges at all levels and political trust have been enhanced, whilecooperation fields and mechanisms have become more practical.

Theyagreed to continue mutual visits by the two countries’ high-ranking militaryofficials as well as bolster border exchanges and cooperation in militarymedicine, human resources training, search and rescue, defence industry andinvolvement in United Nations peacekeeping activities.

Especially,the officials consented to jointly organise communication activities on theclose-knit relations and traditional friendship between the Communist Partiesof Vietnam and China and the two armies, which were built and fostered byPresident Ho Chi Minh and President Mao Zedong.

TheChinese side spoke highly of the delegation’s visit and agreed with Vietnam’s proposal to provide equipment for search andrescue forces as well as engineer corps joining UN peacekeeping forces.

The outcomes of the visit are expected to serveas an impulse for the cooperation and friendship between the two armies in 2019and following years. -VNA