Hai Phong, Feb. 27 -- The Vietnam and China Coast Guard forces conducted their first joint patrol of 2025 in the northern waters of the Gulf of Tonkin on February 27.

Covering the sea area off Mong Cai city (Quang Ninh province, Vietnam), Dongxing city, and Fangchenggang city (Guangxi province, China), the joint patrol aimed to strengthen cooperation in combating crimes and law violations at sea.

The joint patrol, spanning from Point 1 to Point 9 along the demarcation line of the Gulf of Tonkin, covered a distance of 120 nautical miles. This area has seen vibrant export-import activities and goods exchange between Vietnam and China, but it is also abused for smuggling, trade fraud, illegal transport of goods, and unauthorised border cro...