VietNamNet is pleased to present the full text of the statement:

1. At the invitation of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, To Lam, paid a State visit to the Republic of the Philippines from May 31 to June 1, 2026.

2. On June 1st, General Secretary and President To Lam attended the welcoming ceremony and held official talks with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. hosted a grand reception for General Secretary and President To Lam. General Secretary and President To Lam also met with the Vietnamese community in the Philippines and attended the Business Forum.

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Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. and his wife presided over the welcoming ceremony for General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife. Photo: VNA.

3. The two leaders emphasized the significance of the visit, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the successful implementation of the Strategic Partnership between the Philippines and Vietnam. They also highlighted the immense potential for cooperation and agreed to upgrade the current Strategic Partnership to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership.

4. On the basis of the Vietnam-Philippines Enhanced Strategic Partnership framework, the two leaders reaffirmed the long-standing friendship and close cooperation between the two countries, built on mutual respect and a strong commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation, while emphasizing the importance of adhering to international law and upholding the principles and obligations under the United Nations Charter and the ASEAN Charter.

5. The two leaders expressed their determination to build upon the achievements of cooperation in political-security, maritime safety and security, marine environmental protection, trade and investment expansion, agricultural cooperation, education, tourism, cultural exchange, and people-to-people exchanges, while also expressing their desire to promote substantive cooperation for the benefit of both countries and the region. The discussions between the two leaders laid the foundation for a dynamic, robust, and mutually beneficial Enhanced Strategic Partnership framework for the security, prosperity, and well-being of the people of both countries.

Political Cooperation

6. The two leaders reaffirmed that high-level exchanges between the Philippines and Vietnam demonstrate trust between the two countries and a commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and fostering friendship between the two peoples. On this basis, the two leaders affirmed their commitment to continuing regular visits and contacts through all channels and at all levels, promoting people-to-people exchanges and business connections, contributing to maintaining consultations on strategic regional and global issues, and enhancing the potential for complementarity between the development orientations of each country. The two leaders emphasized the importance of establishing new cooperation mechanisms between the legislative bodies and local governments of the two countries through regular bilateral exchanges and contacts at multilateral forums, sharing information and best practices.

7. Both sides agreed to fully promote and regularly implement the institutionalized bilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanisms at all levels, including the Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), the Vietnam-Philippines Trade Subcommittee (JTC), defense and security dialogues, and consultations on maritime and ocean issues, in order to identify and promote complementary potentials between the two countries. The two leaders tasked the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries to closely coordinate in developing a new Action Plan to implement the Enhanced Strategic Partnership framework.

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General Secretary and President To Lam and Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. pose for a photo before their meeting. Photo: VNA.

Economic Cooperation

8. The two leaders emphasized the importance of elevating economic cooperation between the Philippines and Vietnam, two of the world's fastest-growing economies, contributing to strengthening the capacity and self-reliance of each nation. Both leaders expressed their desire to surpass the bilateral trade target of US$10 billion in a balanced manner through expanding two-way trade opportunities, improving market access, and reducing trade and investment barriers. They encouraged increased high-level exchanges and closer coordination between the public and private sectors of both countries, and welcomed efforts to explore new areas of cooperation such as science and technology, innovation, digital transformation/digital inclusion, digital governance, new technologies, energy, two-way investment in manufacturing, the creative economy, and green economic initiatives. The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of strengthening regional economic linkages and cooperation within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including efforts to build an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable ASEAN Economic Community.

9. Recognizing the essential role of agriculture in the development and economy of each country, the two leaders committed to promoting closer agricultural cooperation through joint research and development, capacity building, exchange of experts and best practices, application and transfer of technology, and exploration of potential areas of cooperation in trade and investment, agriculture, particularly rice, fisheries, sustainable blue economy development, sustainable agriculture, smart agriculture, disaster management and adaptation to climate change. The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in agricultural trade and address challenges related to food and agriculture, with the goal of transforming the agricultural and fisheries sectors into powerful growth drivers, promoting rural development and empowering communities. The two leaders emphasized the importance of ensuring food security, enhancing food processing capacity, and strengthening supply chains to improve resilience and sustainability in the face of global challenges. They called for enhanced bilateral cooperation to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing through information sharing, capacity building, and cooperation in fisheries management and law enforcement.

10. The two leaders recognized the crucial role of tourism as a driver of economic growth, promoting cultural understanding and connecting people; and committed to further strengthening cooperation in tourism development through sharing experiences, promoting sustainable and inclusive tourism initiatives, and facilitating tourism exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

Maritime Cooperation, Security and Defense

11. The two leaders agreed to strengthen existing maritime cooperation mechanisms, including the Joint Committee on Maritime and Ocean Affairs at the Deputy Minister level, the Joint Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Affairs (JPWG-MOC), the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Incident Prevention and Management in the South China Sea and the Memorandum of Understanding on Maritime Cooperation between the Vietnam Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard, and the hotline between the two countries' coast guard agencies. Both sides committed to addressing maritime issues through peaceful and friendly means, in accordance with international law. Both sides agreed to explore the possibility of cooperation in marine scientific research, environmental protection, hydrography, maritime connectivity, and the conservation of international waters. The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to protecting and promoting the human rights, safety, welfare, equality, and dignity of seafarers. The two leaders instructed the relevant authorities to review and improve visa policies and mechanisms for seafarers to facilitate entry into each country, in accordance with domestic laws and relevant ASEAN frameworks. The two leaders committed to ensuring the implementation of mechanisms to guarantee the safety and security of fishermen from both countries.