Villamor Air Base, Pasay City
January 29, 2024

“It is important to undertake my first state visit of the year to Vietnam, a fellow ASEAN Member and our only strategic partner in the ASEAN region, to reaffirm our commitment in further strengthening bilateral relations,” said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his departure statement at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

The two-day trip marks the first state visit of the President this year and his first visit to Vietnam, which comes upon the invitation of Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong.

Joined by First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos, key Cabinet members and the Economic Team, the President will be meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to discuss various areas of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

“Maritime cooperation will be one of the cornerstones of our strategic partnership, which we are going to forge and that we hope to strengthen this aspect during my visit to promote peace and stability in the region. I will also discuss cooperation in defense and security, trade and investments, education, tourism, as well as regional and multilateral issues of mutual concern,” he said.

The Chief Executive will also engage with various Vietnamese business leaders to bolster trade and investment between the two countries — an opportunity he aims to seize as the world emerges from the economic slump caused by the pandemic.

Finally, the President expressed his eagerness to meet the Filipino community in Vietnam, which consists of approximately 7,000 Filipinos, many of whom are professionals and educators who help enhance the reputation of Filipinos overseas.

“I am confident that this state visit will bring our relations with Vietnam to greater heights. Nearly 50 years have passed since we established relations with Vietnam, and I believe that we will usher in a new era of friendship and cooperation between our two countries,” President Marcos Jr. concluded in his statement.

*  *  *