The Chinese and Vietnamese navies concluded their 36th joint patrol in the Beibu Gulf on Thursday.
The two sides each sent two vessels for the two-day patrol. The Chinese navy dispatched the two vessels Tongling and Hanzhong.
After arriving in the designated water area on Wednesday morning, the two fleets first conducted tele-communication calibration and exchanged greetings.
"The joint patrol embodies the spirit of 'good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners' between China and Vietnam. Let us join hands and contribute to consolidating the friendship of comrades and brothers between China and Vietnam," said a soldier on behalf of the Chinese side.
During the two-hour patrol, the Chinese and Vietnamese naval vessels shared information on their respective courses, as well as on hydro-meteorological, maritime and air conditions via maritime communication to strengthen coordination.
The two sides also staged a joint exercise simulating the search and rescue of two fishing boats in distress. With smooth communication and quick response, the two countries salvaged the targets and completed the mission successfully.
On Wednesday night, they conducted signal light drills.
The two fleets arrived at the end of the patrol line the next day and the Chinese and Vietnamese crew members waved goodbye to each other.
The patrol, a routine activity in line with an agreement signed by the two countries in 2005, aims to deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and safeguard the stability of the Beibu Gulf waters.
Chinese, Vietnamese navies conclude joint patrol in Beibu Gulf
A delegation from the Taliban-led Afghan government is currently in Doha to attend the third round of UN-convened talks on Afghanistan scheduled for Sunday to Monday, hoping to take it as an opportunity to foster understanding between their government and the wider international community.
Key issues on the meeting's agenda include frozen Afghan assets and the Taliban's counter-narcotics policies.
Zabihullah Mujahid, chief spokesperson for the caretaker government, led a six-member delegation to the meeting. Before heading to Doha, he briefed the media on Saturday about his government's approach toward the gathering.
Answering a question from China Global Television Network (CGTN), Mujahid outlined the state of his country's ties with the rest of the world, including some Western countries.
"We don't have problems with all of the world, but we want to reach a solution and maintain mutual understanding with some countries that have been pursuing obsessive policies toward Afghanistan. Afghanistan has faced financial challenges, and its business affairs have been impacted by the sanctions that have been imposed. This needs to be addressed," he said.
A group of Afghan activists from diverse backgrounds, mostly based in the country, wrote an open letter on Sunday to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Special Envoys for Afghanistan, and the Interim Taliban Administration.
The letter addresses key concerns regarding Afghanistan's current socio-economic and political landscape under the Taliban-led government. It highlights severe economic challenges, exacerbated by international actions such as funding cuts and banking restrictions, alongside internal Taliban policies hindering the economic participation of women and educational opportunities for girls.
The activists urge participants of the third Doha meeting to increase aid to the Afghan people, pave the way for unfreezing the Afghanistan Central Bank's assets, and assist Afghan businesses and women.
"I think Afghanistan really deserves right now a chance to be reconnected to the world, to be reintegrated into the international community's framework and to be able to do business with the rest of the world just like any other country. And I think it's an absolute right of the Afghan people, regardless of any other political agendas or issues that we have in Afghanistan," said Muhammad Sulaiman Bin Shah, founder and CEO of Catalysts Afghanistan.
Kabul residents urge both the Taliban and international community to pay attention to the needs of the Afghan people and avoid confusing humanitarian with political issues.
"As we all know, the political and economic situation of Afghanistan is not leading to progress due to Afghanistan's frozen assets. I urge the international community to find a solution at this meeting, and unfreeze Afghan money," said Mushtaba Atayi, a Kabul resident.
"We want the Taliban-led government to reopen schools and universities for sisters, based on Islamic law, and provide the educational environment for them. That would be a very good step," another resident Asimullah Hamdard said.
Delegation of Afghan gov't attends Doha meeting of special envoys
