Vietnam and the Philippines elevate their cooperation.

Vietnam and the Philippines are striving to boost bilateral trade cooperation with the goal of soon reaching a trade volume of 10 billion USD.

On the afternoon of May 31, General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, arrived in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, beginning a state visit to the Republic of the Philippines until June 1, at the invitation of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. and his wife.

The visit is of historical significance.

Immediately upon arriving in the Philippines, the General Secretary, President, and his wife, along with the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, laid wreaths at the Ho Chi Minh Monument in the ASEAN Flower Garden – located in the Intramuros historical district of Manila.

In a solemn atmosphere, the General Secretary, the President and his wife, along with the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, respectfully laid wreaths in remembrance and expressed profound gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh - the great leader of the Vietnamese nation, who dedicated his entire life to the struggle for national independence and world peace.

The statue of President Ho Chi Minh at the ASEAN Flower Garden is a project of profound historical, cultural, and diplomatic significance, reflecting the friendship between Vietnam and the Philippines as well as the spirit of solidarity within the ASEAN community. The monument was inaugurated in October 2011, on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Philippines (1976-2011).

General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife met with embassy staff and representatives of the Vietnamese community and businesses in the Philippines on May 31. Photo: VNA

The statue of President Ho Chi Minh in the ASEAN Flower Garden is also an important cultural destination, attracting the attention of local people, international tourists, and ASEAN members. The monument contributes to promoting the image of Vietnam as a friendly, peace-loving country and making a positive contribution to the international community.

On the afternoon of May 31st, in Manila, the General Secretary, President and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, met with officials and staff of the Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community, businesses, and experts in the Philippines.

At the meeting, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines Lai Thai Binh emphasized the historic significance of the visit, which took place during the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and marked the first official meeting between the highest-ranking leaders of the two nations. The Ambassador stated that the Vietnamese community in the Philippines is always united, hardworking, and increasingly actively involved in trade, education, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. They always look towards their homeland, preserve the Vietnamese language and national cultural identity, and proactively seek opportunities to contribute positively to the country's development goals through networking and supporting businesses in both countries in finding business opportunities.

The potential for cooperation is vast.

In the warm and friendly atmosphere of the meeting, representatives of the Vietnamese community in the Philippines expressed their joy at the achievements of Vietnam's reform and development and their desire to contribute with their professional expertise, personal reputation, and job positions. They hoped that increased cooperation between the two countries could create a more favorable policy environment for businesses, especially Vietnamese businesses in the Philippines.

The General Secretary and President commended the efforts of the Vietnamese community in the Philippines in integrating into local society, preserving their national cultural identity, and promoting economic and trade relations between the two countries; and welcomed the connecting and supportive role of the Liaison Committee of the Vietnamese Community in the Philippines.

The General Secretary and President shared the country's development orientations and solutions for socio-economic development, promoting high economic growth to enhance self-reliance and self-sufficiency, and continuously improving the people's living standards. The General Secretary and President also announced some outstanding results from their visits to Thailand and Singapore. In particular, Vietnam's keynote address at the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 29th received special attention internationally, highlighting Vietnam's increasingly prominent role in the region. Through this, Vietnam affirmed its strong progress after more than 80 years of construction and development and 40 years of Doi Moi (Renovation); becoming one of the most dynamic and rapidly developing economies; and a reputable and responsible nation in regional and global affairs.

Regarding Vietnam-Philippines relations, the General Secretary and President emphasized that Vietnam is currently the Philippines' only strategic partner in Southeast Asia. Over the past period, bilateral relations have developed strongly in many areas. Both countries are striving to promote bilateral trade cooperation, aiming to soon reach a trade turnover of 10 billion USD, while also exploring the vast remaining potential for cooperation.

The General Secretary and President affirmed that the Party and State consistently view the Vietnamese community abroad as an inseparable part and an important resource of the Vietnamese nation. The Party and State always pay attention to and promptly implement policies to care for the Vietnamese community abroad; supporting them in achieving a secure legal status, stable lives, and integration into local societies; and consolidating national unity. The Party and State encourage and create conditions for them to actively contribute to the cause of national construction and defense.

In recent times, several policies have been revised to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese people abroad to invest, study, research, start businesses, teach Vietnamese, transfer knowledge, and participate in cultural and people-to-people diplomatic activities.

The General Secretary and President expressed his wish that the Vietnamese community in the Philippines would continue to unite, help each other integrate, and abide by the local laws; actively participate in activities, make practical contributions to their homeland, and promote friendly relations between the two countries.

Economic cooperation is a crucial pillar.

During the visit, General Secretary and President To Lam will hold talks and meetings with high-ranking Philippine leaders to exchange views on major directions to further develop the Vietnam-Philippines Strategic Partnership in a stronger, more substantive, and more effective manner in the new phase.

The visit is expected to create new momentum to make economic cooperation a more important pillar in bilateral relations.

In line with Vietnam's long-term development goals.

On the afternoon of May 31st, in Manila, General Secretary and President To Lam met with leaders of the World Health Organization (WHO) and representatives from several financial institutions and businesses.

Receiving Dr. Saia Ma'u Piukala, Director of the WHO Western Pacific Region, the General Secretary and President requested WHO to continue supporting Vietnam in improving the effectiveness of policy development and organizing the health system to suit the new context, especially in increasing the capacity to respond to future health emergencies. The General Secretary and President also requested WHO to promote traditional medicine alongside modern medicine to increase resources and methods in caring for and protecting the health of people in the region and around the world.

The WHO representative affirmed that it will continue to cooperate with and support Vietnam in disease prevention and control; enhance forecasting and emergency response capabilities; promote healthy lifestyles; and build an effective and sustainable national health service delivery system.

Receiving Mr. Masato Kanda, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the General Secretary and President expressed his hope that the ADB would continue to support Vietnam in promoting sustainable economic growth, enhancing the competitiveness of the economy, and achieving the country's long-term development goals.

ADB leaders stated that they will continue to support Vietnam's long-term development goals, especially the transformation of its growth model, the development of the private sector, the green transition, and enhanced regional integration.

Receiving Mr. Tristan Aboitiz, Chairman and CEO of Aboitiz Foods Group, the General Secretary and President affirmed that Vietnam encourages the group to implement cooperation models to promote green, smart, traceable agriculture, sustainable food value chains, and ensure food security in the ASEAN region.

The leaders of Aboitiz Foods are committed to promoting cooperation to achieve Vietnam's food and energy security goals; coordinating closely with relevant agencies, concretizing cooperation proposals, and ensuring their feasibility, effectiveness, and compliance with Vietnamese law.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/viet-nam-philippines-nang-tam-hop-tac-196260531220558155.htm