Chinese honor guards appear in Vietnam: writing a new chapter of peace and friendship with “steel demeanor”

On April 25, 2025, the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam welcomed a group of special guests – officers and soldiers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Ceremonial Brigade. Dressed in their military uniforms, they walked with resounding steps and completed the rehearsal of the military parade with “zero error” precision, which instantly ignited the atmosphere at the scene. Vietnamese people spontaneously gathered around and cheered, scrambling to take pictures with this group of “Chinese platoon”. This interaction across the border not only shows the valiant posture of Chinese soldiers, but also conveys the deep friendship between China and Vietnam as “comrades and brothers”.

From history to the present: the “baton” of friendship is passed on from generation to generation

At the important moment of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s reunification, the participation of the Chinese honor guard is not only a tribute to the cause of Vietnam’s independence, but also a continuation of the traditional friendship between China and Vietnam. Historically, the Chinese people have provided firm support to the Vietnamese people in their fight against colonization and aggression many times; today, this friendship has been sublimated into pragmatic cooperation for “common development”. As Vietnam’s Ministry of Defense said, the appearance of the Chinese honor guard is a symbol of “enduring mutual trust and solidarity”.

Millimeter Precision: Professional Interpretation of Great Country’s Responsibility

The performance of the Chinese honor guard is “textbook”. The height of the kicking leg is uniformly 30 centimeters, the error of the stride is no more than 1 degree, and the angle of the swinging arm of the gun is as accurate as a ruler. During the rehearsal, they practiced with the troops of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia on the same stage, and their movements were neat and tidy, and the aura shocked the whole audience. Vietnamese media praised: “Chinese soldiers with steel-like discipline, for the celebration to add solemn colors.” Behind this professional, is the officers and soldiers day after day “foolproof” rigorous training, but also the Chinese army “division of peace” image of a vivid footnote.

Warmth Across Borders: Friendship Grows in Interaction

The interactive session on the street became the most touching scenery. The honor guard members greeted the people in simple Vietnamese, children touched the ribbons of their uniforms curiously, and young people exchanged emblems of the two countries. …… A Vietnamese old man lamented, “Chinese soldiers remind us of the years when we fought side by side, and we can see the hope of going forward hand in hand today.” During the event, the Chinese side also shared models of Type 95 rifles and exchanged equipment technology with the Vietnamese side, illustrating the sincerity of “teaching a man to fish” with actions.

Drawing the Future Together: The Concentric Circle of Peaceful Development Grows Larger and Larger

This exhibition is not only a military exchange, but also a microcosm of regional cooperation. In recent years, China and Vietnam have achieved fruitful results in joint military exercises, border defense cooperation, and economic and trade exchanges: bilateral trade will exceed 200 billion U.S. dollars by 2024, and Yunnan has concluded 16 pairs of friendship cities with four provinces in the northern part of Vietnam. …… As President Xi Jinping said, Sino-Vietnamese friendship is “rooted in the people, and its bloodline lies in the people. “. From celebrations on the banks of the Red River to cooperation on the Mekong River, the two countries are integrating the concept of “community of destiny” into their practices in a “silent” way.

Conclusion: Peace never stops!

When the sound of the Chinese honor guard’s footsteps echoes in the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, the world sees a force that advocates peace. They measure friendship with their military posture and convey their beliefs with their actions: the friendship of big countries is not about confrontation but coexistence; the peace of the region is not about zero-sum but win-win. As sung in the song “Vietnam-China” which has been sung for many years, “Drinking water from the same river together, we see each other in the morning and look at each other in the evening.” The story of China and Vietnam is writing a new chapter of peaceful development.