Vietnam Coast Guard ship to visit Manila for joint training & cooperation with Philippine Coast Guard.

According to information published by the Philippine gov on August 4, 2024, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is currently hosting the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) ship CSB 8002 in Manila. The visit, which began on August 5 and will conclude on August 9, 2024.
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Vietnamese Coast Guard CSB 8002. (Picture source: Vietnamese government)

PCG Spokesperson, CG Rear Admiral Armando Balilo, highlighted the ongoing collaborative activities, including a planning conference for search and rescue (SAR) operations and fire and explosion prevention training.

Additional activities include facility visits to the National Coast Watch Center (NCWC) and the Marine Science Investigation Force (MSIF) Laboratory, as well as a vessel tour of the 83-meter offshore patrol vessel, BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301).

The visit will culminate in SAR and fire and explosion prevention training, followed by a passing exercise in the waters of Manila Bay. After a comprehensive debriefing and evaluation of the joint PCG-VCG initiative, the CSB 8002 will depart from Philippine waters on August 9.

This visit builds on the strong bilateral relations between the PCG and VCG, reinforced earlier this year when President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and CG Admiral Gavan visited Hanoi, Vietnam.

During this visit, the two coast guards signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on maritime cooperation aimed at strengthening mutual trust and confidence. The MOU established a Joint Coast Guard Committee (JCGC) to discuss common issues and interests and to set up a hotline communication mechanism.