Commander IPE21 Commodore Mal Wise and other Australian officers are welcomed at Cam Ranh Internatiional port. Photo: Australian Embassy

A group of three big Australian warships, amphibious assault ship HMAS Canberra, missile frigate HMAS Anzac and tanker HMAS Sirius, docked at Cam Ranh Bay in Khanh Hoa province for a series of bilateral cooperation activities from September 20-23.

Their arrival is part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2021 (IPE21), an annual Australian Defence Force (ADF) activity which delivers on the promise of the 2016 Defence White Paper to strengthen Australia’s engagement and partnerships with regional security forces, VOV reported.

Present at the welcome ceremony on September 20 were Colonel Ho Thanh Hoa, deputy commander of the Naval Region 4 Command, and representatives of Military Region 5, the Border Guard and the Australian Embassy.

Commander IPE21 Commodore Mal Wise noted the welcoming of the Australian fleet of naval ships amid the complicated development of the Covid-19 pandemic is a testament to the deep defence relationship between Australia and Vietnam.

Missile frigate HMAS Anzac. Photo: Vietnamnet

During their four-day stay, the two countries will co-host a series of exchanges on various topics, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, gender, peace and security, as well as cooperation on maritime security.

Departing Australia in late August, IPE21 will provide an opportunity for Australia to engage with Southeast Asian partners beyond traditional military activities, with supporting elements from across the Australian Government.

“We aim to conduct meaningful activities, despite the restrictions of Covid-19, and provide a foundation for future mutually supportive activities,” the Australian Department of Defence said.

The Task Force will be centred on two Royal Australian Navy ships, with participation by additional units and personnel from across the Australian Defence Force and Australian Government.

Commencing in 2017, the IPE is an annual Australian Defence Force (ADF) activity which delivers on the promise of the 2016 Defence White Paper to strengthen Australia’s engagement and partnerships with regional security forces.

IPE promotes security and stability in Australia’s near region through bilateral and multilateral engagement, training and capacity building. Australia is committed to making effective contributions to humanitarian and security efforts in the Indo-Pacific region.

Amphibious assault ship HMAS Canberra, missile frigate HMAS Anzac and tanker HMAS Sirius dock at Cam Ranh Bay in Khanh Hoa province. Photo: Vietnamnet

Australia’s vision for the Indo-Pacific is a region that is secure, open, prosperous and resilient, the department said.

Commander IPE21 Commodore Mal Wise said despite the deployment being contactless, other activities have been planned to ensure meaningful engagement.

“We value this opportunity to work with regional partners in a wide variety of ways during IPE21, including our deputy commander being from the Philippine Navy,” Commodore Wise said.

“IPE is a powerful way for Australia and partner nations to continue to reinforce that a secure, prosperous and inclusive Indo Pacific benefits all nations in the region.”/.

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