Manila: The Philippines and Vietnam have officially strengthened their bilateral ties to an enhanced strategic partnership, focusing on regional defense collaboration and community engagement during the state visit of Vietnamese President To Lam, as reported by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. invited Lam, who is also the general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, for a two-day state visit to the Philippines. During this visit, Marcos hosted a ceremonial reception and participated in high-level bilateral discussions with Lam at Malaca±ang Palace.
In the face of evolving geopolitical dynamics, the discussions between Marcos and Lam focused on regional security and ASEAN integration, especially with Manila set to hold the ASEAN Chairship in 2026. Both leaders reiterated their commitment to advancing ASEAN community-building efforts through the full implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and its successor blueprint, ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future.
A joint statement released post-meeting underscored the necessity of strengthening ASEAN's unity and centrality, while seeking innovative synergies between distinct sub-regional frameworks, specifically the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and the Mekong sub-region.
On the subject of the South China Sea, both heads of state emphasized adherence to a rules-based international order. They reaffirmed ASEAN's consistent stance on this crucial maritime area, stressing the importance of maintaining peace, stability, maritime security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight.
The leaders also reaffirmed their positions on the significant 2016 Award by the Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration, emphasizing peaceful dispute resolution in accordance with legal and diplomatic processes under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They urged all claimant states to exercise self-restraint to prevent escalating tensions and committed to fully implementing the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) to facilitate an early, substantive, and effective Code of Conduct (COC).
To maintain momentum, President Lam welcomed the ASEAN Future Forum 2026 in Hanoi as a key platform for dialogue. Both leaders praised the recent adoption of the ASEAN Leaders' Declaration on Maritime Cooperation during the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu.
Beyond regional matters, Manila and Hanoi agreed to enhance coordination, consultation, and mutual support for each other's candidacies within international bodies, particularly the United Nations. Marcos and Lam also identified people-to-people exchanges as a focal point of their Enhanced Strategic Partnership.
The leaders committed to strengthening solidarity through local government partnerships, parliamentary friendship groups, and dedicated friendship organizations. They emphasized the need to broaden cooperative projects across education, culture, sports, and tourism, while expanding air and maritime connectivity to bring the two populations, particularly women, youth, and scholars, closer together.
Cultural ties will be systematically advanced through collaborative initiatives under the Cultural Cooperation Program 2024 to 2029, encompassing a diverse range of creative sectors, including cinema, literature, audiovisual content, performing arts, copyright management, library and archival development, and museum and cultural heritage preservation.
The DFA highlighted that both nations have pledged to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese nationals living in the Philippines and Filipinos residing in Vietnam to live, work, and study safely under local laws and international standards. This includes a specific agreement to bolster labor cooperation to protect the welfare and rights of migrant workers in both countries.
During his visit, President Lam also engaged directly with the local Vietnamese community in the Philippines and attended a high-level business forum to explore new economic opportunities.
