Chinese frigate “Xiangfang” to participate in Sino-Vietnamese joint patrol in Beibu Gulf

Chinese frigate “Xiangfang” to participate in Sino-Vietnamese joint patrol in Beibu Gulf

http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/news-channels/china-military-news/2010-12/01/content_4345910.htm

(Source: China Military Online) 2010-12-01

　　At 17:00 of November 30, the guided-missile frigate “Xiangfan” of the Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) departed from a military port in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province，for the Beibu Gulf (Gulf of Tonkin) in the South China Sea to participate in the 10th Sino-Vietnamese joint naval patrol and pay a visit to Danang City, Vietnam.

　　It’s learnt that it is the first time for the PLA Navy frigate to carry shipboard helicopter to perform joint patrol together with the Vietnamese Navy in the Beibu Gulf.

　　During the visit to Danang City, the Chinese and Vietnamese navies will make friendly contacts by holding various activities including high-level exchange of visits, deck receptions, sports events and ship visits. On the return voyage, the frigate “Xiangfan” will conduct a joint search and rescue drill with the Vietnamese naval ship.

　　To maintain the order and stability of the waters off the Beibu Gulf and the common fishing area and strengthen the Sino-Vietnamese friendly cooperative relations, China the Vietnam signed the Agreement on Joint Patrols by the Navies of China and Vietnam in the Beibu Gulf in October 2005, stipulating that the two navies shall conduct joint patrols twice a year and the patrol area shall be the S-shaped sea area one nautical mile away from the standard patrol line. The navies of China and Vietnam launched the first joint patrol on April 27, 2006. Up to now, the two countries have accomplished nine joint naval patrols.

　　By Zeng Xingjian and Liu Yongyan

Editor:Ouyang Dongmei