Vietnam, China Launch First Joint Army Drill Amid U.S. Tension

China and Vietnam hold their first joint ground forces drill in Guangxi, near the shared border, marking a new phase in bilateral military cooperation.
File Image: Vietnam's Defense Minister Phan Văn Giang and his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun inspect an honor guard on April 11, 2025, at the border crossing in China's Yunnan province. Image via Vietnam's Ministry of National Defense.

China and Vietnam are conducting their first-ever joint ground forces training this month in the Guangxi Zhuang, a border area in southern China. The drill is seen as signaling a deliberate expansion of military engagement between the two Communist-led neighbors.

The exercise, announced by China’s Ministry of National Defense on Sunday, comes as both countries navigate heightened U.S. tariff pressures and persistent maritime frictions in the South China Sea.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Edwin Shri Bimo

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
3
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
4 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
5
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
6
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths

You Might Like

Is China Reviving WWII-Era Base Near India-Bangladesh Border?

Rumors are circulating in the Indian press that China is working with Bangladesh to refurbish a military base close to the Siliguri Corridor, the narrow and strategically fraught region between Bangladesh and Nepal ...

Is China Reviving WWII-Era Base Near India-Bangladesh Border?

Rumors are circulating in the Indian press that China is working with Bangladesh to refurbish a military base close to the Siliguri Corridor, the narrow and strategically fraught region between Bangladesh and Nepal connecting to ...

Vietnam PM Arrives in China for Visit as a U.S. Aircraft Carrier Arrives

Vietnam’s legendary great power hedging strategy was on full display this weekend when the massive U.S. aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan arrived in the central city of Da Nang for a rare port of call ...

While They May Have Their Differences at Sea, on Land, Vietnamese and Chinese Border Guards Get Along Great

Chinese and Vietnamese border soldiers conducted joint patrols last week along their shared land border near the northern Vietnamese province of Hà Giang. Officers from both armies also met to discuss increased cooperation to ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP