Malacañan Palace
17 November 2015

President Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed in Malacañang, President Truong Tan Sang of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The two leaders held an expanded bilateral meeting and witnessed the signing of the Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the Philippines and Vietnam, signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario and Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Phan Bin Ming.

The said document would help in fostering ties between the two countries, especially in the areas of economy, agriculture and defense.

Additionally, President Aquino and President Sang also witnessed the exchange of the signed protocol to amend the 2010 Philippines-Vietnam Memorandum of Agreement on the Supply of Vietnamese Rice to the Philippines.

In a joint press statement, both leaders shared their thoughts on the renewed and strengthened relationship of their nations.

President Sang is in the country as one of the 21 attendees of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) on November 18-19, 2015 in Manila.

*  *  *