Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and wishes to promote the strategic partnership with the Philippines in an increasingly effective and practical manner. Minister Manalo emphasized that Vietnam is the Philippines' only strategic partner in ASEAN and the two countries share many similarities as well as strategic interests.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his satisfaction with the strong development of the strategic partnership between the two countries in recent times, especially appreciating the effective maintenance of high-level contacts and exchanges between the two sides; effectively promoting existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially the Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation; the total two-way trade turnover has grown remarkably, reaching nearly 8 billion USD in 2022, the highest ever; maritime cooperation, especially on marine ecological environment, marine economy , and combating illegal fishing, continues to be focused on and effectively promoted.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo. Photo: VNA

To continue to develop the bilateral relationship strongly in both breadth and depth, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested that the two sides need to maintain close coordination to ensure the progress of implementing the goals set at the 10th Meeting of the Joint Committee on Vietnam-Philippines Bilateral Cooperation, focusing on increasing the exchange of delegations at all levels; stepping up economic and trade promotion, considering removing unnecessary barriers and supporting each other to ensure food security, creating a favorable business and investment environment for each other's enterprises; striving to soon bring the two-way trade turnover to 10 billion USD; promoting cooperation in other potential areas such as: Digital economy, circular economy, green economy, renewable energy, climate change response, handling maritime issues, supporting each other in developing the marine economy, innovation, startups, etc.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also emphasized the importance of strengthening defense and security cooperation, while affirming Vietnam's "four no's" defense policy (not participating in military alliances, not aligning with one country to fight another, not allowing foreign countries to set up military bases or use Vietnamese territory to fight against other countries, not using force or threatening to use force in international relations).

Minister Manalo emphasized the similar approaches between the two countries in socio-economic development as well as regional and global strategic issues; expressed the wish that the two countries actively promote cooperation in cultural exchange, tourism, education-training, and local connectivity; emphasized the importance of agricultural cooperation and rice trade to ensure food security; and agreed to strengthen cooperation and share experiences in potential areas that are suitable to the interests of the two countries.

Discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern, the two sides agreed to continue supporting each other, maintaining solidarity and the central role of ASEAN; maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, cooperating to resolve disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), speeding up the negotiation process of an effective, substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in accordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

* Earlier, on the same day in Hanoi, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Minister Manalo co-chaired the 10th Meeting of the Vietnam-Philippines Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation. The two sides agreed on many specific measures to continue promoting cooperation in various fields, including increasing the exchange of delegations and high-level contacts; effectively implementing bilateral cooperation mechanisms; promoting the development of an Action Program to implement the strategic partnership for the 2025-2030 period; strengthening defense and security cooperation; striving to soon bring two-way trade turnover to 10 billion USD; promoting maritime and ocean cooperation; enhancing information sharing and coordinating timely handling of issues arising at sea; improving the effectiveness of cooperation in preventing and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) activities...

The two sides agreed to continue to coordinate and support each other at multilateral forums, especially at ASEAN and the United Nations, and to work with other ASEAN countries to maintain ASEAN's solidarity and central role, promote ASEAN's sub-regional cooperation, and contribute to building a strong and prosperous ASEAN Community.

HOANG VU

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