Study Room, Malacañan Palace
August 30, 2024

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. warmly welcomed Vietnamese Defense Minister General Phan Văn Giang and his delegation during a courtesy call at the Study Room in Malacañan Palace.

In their meeting, President Marcos Jr. emphasized the importance of Minister Giang’s visit, highlighting the flourishing bilateral relations between the Philippines and Vietnam in defense, security, maritime cooperation and trade relations.

“The Philippines and Vietnam have enjoyed good relations, and we have continued to progress in those relationships, whereas before comprise only with our diplomatic connection,” said President Marcos Jr., adding that the Defense Minister’s visit “will serve as further impetus, a further push to increase the depth and the range of our relationship.”

For his part, Minister Giang expressed his appreciation for President Marcos Jr.’s State Visit to Vietnam early this year, saying that the visit “opened up new opportunities to further promote and innovate the strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Philippines in various areas.”

The Vietnamese Defense Minister is in the country to sign Letters of Intent (LOIs) with the Department of National Defense (DND) on enhancing cooperation in the fields of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) at Sea and Military Medicine.

The LOI on HADR at Sea highlights commitments of the Philippines and Vietnam to enhance disaster response and address maritime security challenges, emphasizing the vital role of the two countries’ navies. Meanwhile, the LOI on Military Medicine recognizes the importance of military involvement in public health surveillance and disease prevention, reflecting both countries’ intent to improve capabilities through joint research and knowledge sharing.

Vietnam serves as the Philippines’ sole Strategic Partner in Southeast Asia with maritime cooperation as the cornerstone of the strategic partnership established by Hanoi and Manila in 2015.

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