The armies of Vietnam and China shouldenhance their comprehensive cooperation, especially border exchanges,to forge closer friendship and solidarity between the two nations, saidVietnamese Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh.

MinisterThanh made the remark during talks with his Chinese counterpart SeniorLieutenant General Chang Wanquan in Yunnan province, China on May 17 aspart of the second Vietnam-China border defence friendship exchange.

In their speech, the two officers concurred that the exchangewas successful, reflecting the solidarity and friendship between the twoarmies and peoples.

Chinese Defence Minister Chang Wanquan agreed to continue organising the event in the coming years.

The Vietnamese guest affirmed the Vietnamese People’s Army strictlyexecutes the directions of the Party and State on stepping up defencecooperation between the two nations.

He stressed the need tomaintain peace and stability and mutually-beneficial cooperation betweenthe two countries, adding that the two armies should expand exchangeactivities and connections along shared-border lines.

Followingthe talks, the two ministers signed a memorandum of understanding ontheir border defence friendship discussion and held interviews withpress agencies.

Earlier, they witnessed a jointpatrol between Vietnam’s border forces serving at the Lao CaiInternational Border Gate in Vietnam and China’s Hehou border battalion.

The Vietnamese high-ranking defence delegatesreturned home on May 18, concluding their activities in the four-dayexchange.

The Second Vietnam-China border defencefriendship exchange, a pillar in maintaining and strengthening thenations’ bilateral friendship, took place in both countries from May15-18.-VNA