Vietnam and Philippines upgrade ties to Enhanced Strategic Partnership

Photo: VNA

On June 1, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam attended a ceremonial reception and had a bilateral meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The two leaders then witnessed the exchange of bilateral agreements.

According to the joint statement, both leaders noted the significance of the visit, as it marked the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and a decade of productive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the Philippines. Further underscoring the strong potential for deeper cooperation, both leaders agreed to elevate the current Strategic Partnership to the Enhanced Strategic Partnership.

The two leaders reaffirmed the enduring friendship and close cooperation between Vietnam and the Philippines, rooted in mutual respect and a strong commitment to upholding multilateralism and international cooperation, and emphasised the importance of adhering to international law, and upholding principles and obligations embodied in the United Nations Charter and the ASEAN Charter.

They expressed their determination to build upon the gains of the current programme of political-security cooperation, maritime safety and security collaboration, marine environmental protection, trade and investment expansion, agriculture exchanges, education, tourism, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges, among others, and expressed their aim to realise practical successes for the benefit of the two countries and the wider region. Their discussions laid the foundation for the Enhanced Strategic Partnership that is vigorous, resilient, and mutually beneficial for the security, prosperity and wellbeing of the two peoples.

Economic cooperation was identified as a key pillar of the Enhanced Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the Philippines. The two leaders highlighted the importance of enhancing economic cooperation between Vietnam and the Philippines, two of the world’s fastest growing economies, to build national strength and resilience.

Both leaders expressed their desire to surpass the $10 billion bilateral trade target and attain a balanced trade relationship through the expansion of two-way trade opportunities, improvement of market access, and reduction of trade and investment barriers.

More high-level exchanges and greater collaboration between their respective public and private sectors are encouraged and efforts to explore emerging areas of cooperation are welcomed, including in sci-tech, innovation, digital inclusion/digital transformation, e-governance, emerging technologies, energy, two-way investments in manufacturing, creative economy, and green economy initiatives.

The two leaders also reaffirmed the importance of strengthening regional economic integration and cooperation under the ASEAN bloc, including efforts to support an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable regional community.

Recognising the critical role of agriculture, the two leaders committed to pursue closer collaboration through joint research and development, capacity building activities, exchange of scientists and best practices, technological application and transfer, and exploration of potential areas for cooperation in trade and investment, agriculture, particularly on rice, fisheries, blue economy development, sustainable agriculture, smart agriculture, disaster management, and climate change adaptation.

The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in agribusiness and address food and agriculture-related challenges, with a view to transforming the agriculture and fisheries sectors into powerful engines of growth, driving rural development and empowering communities.

The importance of ensuring food security is also emphasised, enhancing food processing capabilities, and strengthening supply chains to increase resilience and sustainability in the face of global challenges. They called for closer bilateral cooperation to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing through information sharing, capacity building, and cooperation in fisheries management and law enforcement.

The important role of tourism as a driver of economic growth, cultural understanding, and people-to-people connectivity was also recognised, and commitments were made to further strengthen cooperation in tourism development through the exchange of best practices, the promotion of sustainable and inclusive tourism initiatives, and the facilitation of greater tourism exchanges and collaboration between the two countries.

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