PH, Vietnam navies conduct interoperability exercises

Filipino and Vietnamese soldiers battle in a round of tug-o-war on the Philippine island of Parola (Northeast Cay) last Nov. 10, 2018. PHILIPPINE NAVY PHOTO

The Philippine Navy unit tasked with patrolling the West Philippine Sea hosted its Vietnamese counterpart recently in interoperability exercises in the Spratlys.

Naval Forces West (Navforwest) reciprocated the reception given to the Navy contingent by the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) in June last year on the Vietnam-occupied Southwest Cay in the South China Sea.

According to Commodore Rommel Jason Galang, commander of Navforwest, the Nov. 10 event was the Navy’s response to “the warm hospitality accorded by the VPN to the Philippine contingent during last year’s undertaking.”

The Philippines and Vietnam occupy several islets and reefs in the South China Sea, about 90 percent of which is claimed by China.

Navforwest fleet and Marine personnel engaged the 63-man VPN contingent, headed by Senior Capt. Nhuyen Viet Thuan, Naval Region 4 deputy commander, in several activities on Parola Island.

Confidence-building

Parola is the third largest Philippine-occupied island in the disputed Spratlys.

Galang said that apart from communications and tabletop exercises, goodwill games and cultural performances were held during the one-day event.

The Nov. 10 confidence-building activity is the fourth iteration of the two navies’ interaction in the Spratlys.

The first of the exchanges was held on Southwest Cay in June 2014, with the Philippines hosting the second in May 2015 on the Philippine-controlled Northeast Cay. —JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE