The coast guards of the two countries which are both claimants in the South China Sea, used their water cannons to practice their fire fighting capabilities at sea.

Aside from fire fighting, the two coast guards onboard Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) ship, CSB 8002 and PCG offshore patrol vessel BRP Gabriela Silang also conducted explosion prevention and search and rescue training and passing exercises before leaving the Philippine waters on the same day.

In an interview with reporters, Captain Lawrence Roque, the Commanding Officer of BRP Gabriela Silang said the exercise gives them an opportunity to have a good "collaboration operation with the other claimants of the West Philippine Sea."

"Being an Asean nation it is good for us to have at least the same direction which is the rule base approach of the Philippines and we hope also that the Vietnam Coast Guard particularly the Vietnam government will also do a way or follow in enhancing or following the rules based approach here in the West Philippine Sea," he said.

The VCG ship with approximately 80 crew on board headed by VCG Region 2 Vice Commander, Colonel Hoang Quoc Dat arrived in Manila for a five-day port call from August 5 to 9. Robina Asido/DMS