Close-up of 2 Royal New Zealand Navy ships docking at Ho Chi Minh City port
Báo Lao Động•25/09/2023
On September 24, two Royal New Zealand Navy ships , HMNZS Te Mana and HMNZS Aotearoa, docked in Ho Chi Minh City, beginning a visit to further strengthen the friendly and close relationship between the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Vietnam People's Navy.
On September 24, two Royal New Zealand Navy ships, HMNZS Te Mana and HMNZS Aotearoa, docked at Ben Nha Rong Port, Ho Chi Minh City, beginning a visit from September 24 to 25. This is the first time two Royal New Zealand Navy ships have visited Vietnam together. The visit to Vietnam aims to further strengthen the friendly and close relationship between the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Vietnam People’s Navy. During their stay in Vietnam, the officers and sailors will participate in a variety of activities, including exchanges and meetings between the two navies, friendly sports and community activities. In total, there are more than 300 officers and sailors on board the two ships, undertaking combat missions, humanitarian work, rescue, operations and training support. According to the Commander of the New Zealand Joint Forces, Rear Admiral James Gilmour, this visit is a testament to the close relationship between New Zealand and Vietnam. The Royal New Zealand Navy is committed to defense cooperation with Vietnam and believes that developing and expanding bilateral relations will contribute to maintaining regional security. "The crews of the two ships are very pleased to visit Vietnam. They are eager to learn about Vietnamese culture and people, as well as share a bit of "Kiwi" culture with their Vietnamese friends" - Commander of the New Zealand Joint Forces, Rear Admiral James Gilmour, shared at the meeting. Captain David Barr, HMNZS Aotearoa, greeted the Vietnamese Navy delegation.
HMNZS Te Mana is the second Anzac-class destroyer of the Royal New Zealand Navy. The destroyer is 118m long, 14.8m wide, has a draft of 6.2m, a displacement of 3,600 tonnes and can accommodate a crew of 178. Using a combined gas or diesel turbine propulsion system (CODOG), Te Mana can travel at a speed of more than 50 km/h, with a maximum operating range of more than 11,000km. This is one of two main warships of the Royal New Zealand Navy capable of countering simultaneous air and sea threats from the enemy as well as conducting maritime security patrol and surveillance operations to protect the island nation's sea lines of communication or trade. In addition, the 26,000-ton HMNZS Aotearoa is a ship capable of operating in the Arctic, and is the Royal New Zealand Navy's largest oil and supply ship. The Vietnamese Navy delegation and the New Zealand Navy delegation took a souvenir photo at the welcoming ceremony on September 24.
2023 marks the 48th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Vietnam.
Over the past nearly five decades, diplomatic relations between the two countries have grown strongly in many areas, including defense and security cooperation.
In July 2023, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of National Defense of Vietnam, had a successful visit to New Zealand. This visit helped strengthen the relationship and mutual understanding between the two militaries, contributing to consolidating this important area in the Vietnam - New Zealand strategic partnership.
In 2018, HMNZS Te Mana visited Ho Chi Minh City. HMNZS Te Mana's sister ship - Royal Navy ship HMNZS Te Kaha visited Da Nang in 2017.
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