That Cao Bang has a common international border with China (over 333 kilometres) stretching across many border villages and communes, border gates, sub-border gates and border crossings, and complex terrains has been taken seriously by the Cao Bang Border Guard Command. Strictly following the direction of the Prime Minister, the Border Guard High Command and the Provincial People's Committee, from the first days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cao Bang Border Guard Command has directed soldiers and officers to actively patrol the border day and night and set up many key checkpoints along the border for the pandemic control and mobilizing people in the border areas to participate in COVID-19 fight.

Major Hoang Bang Giang, Deputy Head of Can Yen Border Station, said “from the early days, the commune Party Committee and Authority, and the Commander of Can Yen Border Guard have clearly determined that the COVID-19 epidemic fight is a very difficult task which requires efforts and joint hands of mass organizations and localities at all levels”. With the motto of "fighting against epidemics like fighting against the enemy", the unit has actively advised the district People's Committee to seriously implement the directives of the higher levels, and at the same time thoroughly disseminated the guidelines and instructions of Provincial Border Guard Command to all soldiers and officers in the unit in order to raise their awareness and sense of responsibility in epidemics prevention and control in general and in COVID-19 combat in particular, from which elaborating a plan to effectively implement the disease prevention and control activities in the border areas managed by the unit, and closely combining closely the task of social order and security maintenance with combat readiness and border protection management, and disease prevention and control.

The Border guard station has coordinated with the local authority and relevant forces to propagate the strict observance of the regulations on border management and disease prevention knowledge to each household in the border villages and communes; to set up six checkpoint groups and one provisional mobile control team including 25 soldiers and 12 police officers and communal militia along the border that the unit is in charge of and their main task is to constantly monitor and grasp the situation in the border areas as well as disease information on both sides of the border; to control illegal border crossing as well as to effectively fight against smuggling and illegally transporting medical equipment to China; to receive Vietnamese citizens returning home from China through legal border crossing routes; to gather the Vietnamese people returning from China, then complete the files and procedures for handing over to the district's epidemic prevention and control force for quarantine.

With a sense of responsibility to actively cooperate and develop a clear specific task assignment plan; timely attention and encouragement from all levels, branches and the support of the people in the locality, during the pandemic combat, the unit’s soldiers and officers, who have good sense of discipline and sense of responsibility in carrying out their missions, have made great efforts to overcome any difficulties. Up to now, 100% of people in the area have been aware of the harmful effects of the Covid-19 epidemic and actively coordinate with the Border Guard to participate in disease prevention and control. In addition, no cases have been found positive for Covid 19; 10 cases of Vietnamese citizens returning from China were sent to quarantine (09 out of 10 cases returned to the locality after 14 days of quarantine).

Receiving the Vietnamese citizen who illegally crossed border at Ta Lung international border gate 

According to Cao Bang Border Guard Command, at the border gates, the functional forces have been strengthened with manpower and equipment for COVID-19 prevention and control; The suspension of exit for Vietnamese citizens to China and the reception of Vietnamese citizens working and studying in China to return home has been implemented. Captain Be Anh Viet, Chief of Ta Lung International Border Guard Checkpoint, said “Ta Lung border gate has received over 400 Vietnamese citizens returning home and these people have been taken to the quarantine places in the province for 14 days. At the quarantine places, in addition to regular health checks, people are also propagated about policies and regulations of the Party and the State, three Legal Documents on the Vietnam-China land border. Through propaganda activities, the people have increased their awareness of the importance of disease prevention and control and the harmful effects of illegal border crossing, thereby raising their awareness of compliance with three Legal Documents on the Vietnam-China land border.

In parallel with the control of cross-border epidemics, the Vietnam-China friendship have also been manifested by practical activities. Donating masks and medical supplies to Chinese functional forces to join hands in COVID-19 combat was one of the activities that demonstrates the spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance of Vietnam - China border people to overcome the COVID-19 epidemic, thereby raising the friendship to jointly build a border of peace, solidarity and development.