Guangxi (VNA) – Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich leda delegation of the Vietnam People’s Army on November 19 began activitieswithin the fifth Vietnam-China border defence friendship exchange in Long Zhoudistrict, Chong Zuo city, Zhuang Autonomous Region in China’s Guangxi province.

A welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation was hostedby Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe at the Shui Kou border gate of China.

After attending a border marker saluting ceremony and witnessinga joint river patrol, the Vietnamese delegation visited and planted trees atShui Kou town’s Border Guard Company.

They then visited the Shui Kou town school, where General Lichrecalled the time when President Ho Chi Minh and other Vietnamese revolutionistslived and worked in Long Zhou.

The minister expressed his hope that the Party Committeesand authorities of localities along the Vietnam-China border, and teachers willcreate more favourable conditions for exchanges between students of the ShuiKou town school and their peers in Vietnam’s Cao Bang province.

He also urged the school’s teachers to spend more timeintroducing Vietnamese culture to their students, contributing to building acommon border of peace, development and prosperity.

Visiting a memorial house dedicated to President Ho Chi Minhin Long Zhou, Lich said the documents on display are valuable evidence of thegreat support of Chinese leaders and people to Vietnamese revolutionists andpeople during the war.

The house, therefore, is a venue to educate young generationsabout the solidarity and friendship between the two countries, the ministernoted.

The Vietnamese and Chinese sides are scheduled to hold talksthe same day and review five years of the border defence friendship exchange,which aims to enhance political trust, build friendship and solidarity, andpromote result-oriented cooperation between border guards, authorities andpeople of border localities of the two countries, contributing to building acommon border of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and development.

The exchange is also expected to help counter allegations distortingthe Vietnam-China relationship.

Apart from China’s Long Zhou district, activities in theframework of the exchange will be held in Phuc Hoa district, Cao Bang city ofVietnam’s northern border province of Cao Bang.

The firstVietnam-China border defence friendship exchange programme was held in 2014 inQuang Ninh province, the second took place in Lao Cai in 2015, the third inLang Son in 2016, and the fourth in Lai Chau last year.-VNA