Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17802886033701780273570150359 (5).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. welcomed Vietnamese President and Communist Party General Secretary, His Excellency To Lam at Malacañan Palace with arrival honors, underscoring the growing partnership between the Philippines and Viet Nam as the two countries commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership. 📷༘ PCO/Facebook</div>MANILA (UPDATE) — The Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to “bolster” their “joint capabilities in maritime security, military education, and disaster risk reduction and management,” as the two countries elevated their relations to an enhanced strategic partnership, making Hanoi Manila’s “sole strategic partner” in Southeast Asia.The two countries have agreed to “address challenges decisively through accelerated intelligence sharing and coordinated law enforcement actions,” President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said in a speech delivered during Vietnamese President To Lam’s visit in Malacañang.“As fellow claimant states, we reaffirm that maintaining peace, stability, and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea remains non-negotiable,” Marcos added, after witnessing the signing of the renewal of the 2010 Philippines–Viet Nam Memorandum of Agreement on Defense Cooperation. “We stand resolute in our commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes, grounded firmly in international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award,” he said.Marcos did not mention other countries, but the Philippines and Vietnam have been actively pushing back against China’s illegal incursions in waters surrounding the two countries as Beijing continues to ignore a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidates its sweeping claim in the South China Sea.“Ultimately, our exchanges today have made one truth abundantly clear: the Enhanced Strategic Partnership does not merely secure our bilateral interests,” the Filipino leader said. “It firmly positions the Philippines and Vietnam as steadfast anchors of peace, innovation, dynamism, and sustainable growth across ASEAN and the wider Indo-Pacific region,” he said.Under the freshly inked agreements, the Philippines and Vietnam have also committed “to prevent transnational crime, including cybercrime, illegal migration, human trafficking, illegal gambling, financial fraudulent activities, illegal labor and residents, and addressing traditional and non-traditional security challenges,” To said in his speech.Vietnam and the Philippines “are maritime neighbors and important partners in the region… sharing strategic visions and interests and a strong commitment towards peace stability, the rule of law and respect for international law,” he said.“The two sides underscore the importance of international law, the UN Charter, the ASEAN Charter and the principles of equality, collaboration and mutual interest,” he said.‘We both reaffirm the importance of maintaining peaceful and stable environment, maintaining security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight at sea, and addressing disputes through peaceful means.”Vietnam views that Philippines as an “excellent” friend and an “important partner in the region,” the Vietnamese President said.“It is Vietnam’s consistent policy to attach importance and look forward to further enhancing its cooperation with the Philippines,” he said.“Both countries share similar strategic visions and interests, and a strong commitment towards peace, stability, prosperity, and the rule of law,” the Vietnamese leader said.Meantime, the two countries also committed to mount a “unified front against severe cross-border threats such as internet fraud, human trafficking, illegal gambling, and people smuggling.”To’s trip to the Philippines comes as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, and a few days after the Vietnamese president’s attendance at the 2026 Shangri la Dialogue in Singapore, where he underscored the need to “shift from passive response to proactive shaping” of rules to veer away from “managing crises after they erupt to mitigating risks before they escalate.”Other agreements signed during this trip include frameworks to deepen cooperation on information technology, tourism and education between Southeast Asia’s 4th and 5th largest economies<div> </div><div>RELATED VIDEO</div><div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uVnCz0jN6Bk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>

The two countries have agreed to “address challenges decisively through accelerated intelligence sharing and coordinated law enforcement actions,” President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said.

The two countries have agreed to “address challenges decisively through accelerated intelligence sharing and coordinated law enforcement actions,” President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said.

PH, Vietnam elevate defense ties with fresh deals to jointly address South China Sea issues

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PH, Vietnam elevate defense ties with fresh deals to jointly address South China Sea issues

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 01, 2026 09:23 AM PHT

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Updated June 01, 2026 12:40 PM PHT

Read More:

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

To Lam

Vietnam

diplomacy

bilateral relations

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