(VNF) - Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Vancouver has arrived in Ho Chi Minh city on October 18^th to conduct a goodwill visit as part of WESTPLOY 16.

WESTPLOY 16 is HMCS Vancouver’s deployment aimed at building strong ties between the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the navies of Asia-Pacific countries while also promoting peace and security in the region.

HMCS Vancouver in Ho Chi Minh city. (Photo: vnexpress.net)

Commodore Jeff Zwick, commander of Canada’s Pacific Fleet, confirmed that talks will be held on national defense between Canada and Vietnam during the visit. After that, the ship will continue on to several other countries in the Asia-Pacific region before returning to Esquimalt, British Columbia, at the end of the year.

HMCS Vancouver is engaging in a variety of training opportunities with foreign navies as well as visiting several countries in the Asia-Pacific region. WESTPLOY 16 provides a unique opportunity that allows the RCN to foster and sustain cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans.

This deployment allows HMCS Vancouver, along with an embarked CH-124 Sea King helicopter and air detachment, to test and evolve the war-fighting capabilities of the Halifax-Class warships after upgrades to equipment that were made as part of the Halifax-Class Modernization/Frigate Life Extension project.

Ambassador of Canada to Vietnam Ping Kitnikone (L), and Sub-Lieutenant Erin Hawco from HMCS Vancouver. (Photo: Embassy of Canada to Vietnam)

HMCS Vancouver’s deployment underlines the strategic importance of the Asia-Pacific region, of increasing international interest in the area, and of the unique opportunities to demonstrate interoperability with partner navies.

Vietnam has frequently welcomed warships from other countries, including the U.S., Japan, India, Australia and France. Earlier this month, the guided missile destroyer, the USS John S. McCain, arrived in Vietnam following its first visit in 2014 for naval exercises, seeking to reinforce military ties.

In April, two Japanese guided-missile destroyers made port at Cam Ranh Bay Port, Vietnam’s new international port. In July, the coast guard ship Kojima also arrived in Da Nang for a five-day visit.

Prior to the trip of President Francois Hollande in September, France also sent its amphibious assault ship the Tonnerre to Cam Ranh Bay on a friendly visit./.

( Compiled by VNF )