© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a joint assertion in the course of the go to of Indonesian President Joko Widodo on the Malacanang Palace, in Manila, Philippines, January 10, 2024. Ezra Acayan/Pool by way of REUTERS/File Picture
By Khanh Vu
HANOI (Reuters) -Vietnam and the Philippines agreed on Tuesday to spice up cooperation amongst their coastguards and to stop untoward incidents within the South China Sea, in an announcement throughout a state go to to Hanoi by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The 2 Southeast Asian international locations have competing claims over some components of the South China Sea, a conduit for $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce that China claims virtually in its entirety.
The 2 memoranda of understanding on safety coated “incident prevention within the South China Sea” and “maritime cooperation” amongst coastguards, in response to a Vietnamese official who introduced the offers throughout a proper ceremony within the nation’s presidential palace.
The agreements in Hanoi, particulars of which weren’t disclosed, may threat angering Beijing, particularly in the event that they paved the way in which for future compromises on disputed claims. China tends to view progress within the decision of border disputes amongst different claimants with scepticism.
Each Hanoi and Manila have had run-ins with China’s coastguard up to now, however altercations have been frequent within the final yr between vessels of China and U.S.-ally the Philippines, including pressure to deteriorating relations.
Earlier than assembly Vietnam’s President Vo Van Thuong, Marcos mentioned Vietnam was “the only strategic associate of the Philippines” in Southeast Asia and careworn that maritime cooperation was the muse of that relation.
“The world and regional scenario is evolving in a speedy and complex method and due to this fact we have to unite and cooperate extra intently,” Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh mentioned, noting Marcos’ go to helped enhance bilateral relations.
Vietnam, one of many world’s largest rice exporters, additionally sealed agreements with the Philippines, a high importer of the grain, protecting rice commerce and agriculture cooperation.
In his two-day go to to Hanoi, Marcos is assembly Vietnamese leaders, however not Communist Social gathering chief Nguyen Phu Trong, in response to official schedules, in what could be Trong’s third consecutive absence from conferences with visiting leaders this month.
Trong, 79, nevertheless attended a parliament’s session in mid-January, partly dispelling considerations about his well being after he was not included in official schedules of visiting leaders from Laos and Indonesia.
Earlier than assembly Vietnamese political leaders on Tuesday, Marcos met Pham Nhat Vuong, the pinnacle of Vingroup, Vietnam’s largest conglomerate, on Monday.
The corporate mentioned on Tuesday that its electrical automobile unit VinFast (NASDAQ:) will open a enterprise community within the Philippines.
Marcos mentioned the Philippines may assist in the manufacturing of batteries for electrical autos, because of its reserves of cobalt, and nickel, in response to Vingroup’s assertion.