HCMC – Australia’s Indo-Pacific Endeavor21 (IPE21) Task Group with three naval ships and over 700 officers and soldiers has arrived in Cam Ranh Bay, Khanh Hoa Province at the invitation of Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense.
Amphibious assault ship HMAS Canberra, which is Australia’s largest naval vessel, is joined by guided missile frigate HMAS Anzac and supply vessel HMAS Sirius in the four-day port call.
Present at the welcome ceremony on September 20 were Colonel Ho Thanh Hoa, Deputy Commander of the Naval Region 4 High Command, Senior Captain Nguyen Thai Hoc, Deputy Chief of Staff of Naval Region 4, officers from the Vietnam People’s Navy and the Vietnam People’s Army-Military Region 5, and representatives of the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, Khanh Hoa Province Military Command and Border Guard Command.
As part of the visit, the two sides are conducting a series of virtual exchanges on matters such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations; gender, peace and security; and maritime security cooperation.
The IPE21 visit will culminate in a maritime training activity between the Australian and Vietnamese naval vessels in the waters off Cam Ranh Bay.
The IPE21 is an annual Australian Defense Force activity which delivers on the promise of the 2016 Defense White Paper to strengthen Australia’s engagement and partnership with regional security forces.
Departing from Australia in late August, the IPE21 provides an opportunity for Australia to engage with Southeast Asian partners beyond traditional military activities, with supporting elements from across the Australian Government.
The defense cooperation between Vietnam and Australia has been strengthened through official visits, high-level dialogues, professional training, post-graduate training, and collaboration in peace, maritime security and anti-terrorism. The defense cooperation has been an important pillar in the strategic partnership between the two countries.
