A new vision for Vietnam-Philippines relations.

On May 27, 2026, General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, departed from Hanoi for an official visit to Thailand, and state visits to Singapore and the Philippines. (Photo: VNA)

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China) affirmed that the state visit of General Secretary and President To Lam to the Philippines took place in a special context as the two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Based on the achievements of the past five decades, the visit was an opportunity for Vietnamese and Philippine leaders to outline directions for further strengthening cooperation in the fields of trade, food security, defense, maritime affairs, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. The article also emphasized the strong relationship between Vietnam and the Philippines, with Vietnam being the Philippines' only strategic partner in ASEAN.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) , Philippine Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro affirmed that the State visit of General Secretary and President To Lam marks a historic milestone in the relations between the two countries. As the first visit by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam to the Philippines, this event carries profound strategic and symbolic significance. The visit opens up opportunities for high-level leaders of both countries not only to celebrate 50 years of robust cooperation but, more importantly, to outline a shared vision, look towards the future, and define the future partnership.

The Philippines expects this historic visit to provide greater impetus for closer cooperation in three key strategic areas. Regarding trade and investment, the visit promises to significantly boost economic cooperation between the two countries, encouraging businesses to invest and expand their operations in both nations.

Furthermore, as coastal states in the region, the Philippines and Vietnam are staunch advocates of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The visit will reaffirm the two countries' shared commitment to promoting peace, security, stability, and freedom of navigation. This will enable them to enhance cooperation against traditional, non-traditional, and emerging security threats, while also opening new avenues for cooperation in sustainable marine resource management.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/tam-nhin-moi-cho-quan-he-viet-nam-philippines-post965980.html