The leaders of Vietnam and the Philippines affirmed?the importance of maintaining?freedom of navigation in the South China Sea amid tensions in the strategic waterway where Beijing lays expansive claims.
¡°As fellow claimant states, we reaffirm that maintaining peace, stability and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea remains nonnegotiable,¡± Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said. He spoke at a joint briefing with visiting Vietnamese leader To Lam after their meeting in Manila on Monday.
Lam said he discussed the regional and global situation with Marcos and agreed that both nations ¡°need to coordinate more closely to respond more effectively to the changing circumstances of both countries for the sake of peace, stability and development.¡±
Hanoi and Manila on Monday elevated their ties to an enhanced strategic partnership, and renewed their memorandum of agreement on defense cooperation, which Marcos said will bolster their joint capabilities in maritime security.
The Vietnamese president is wrapping up a Southeast Asia tour aimed at shoring up regional security alliances. Lam, seen as one of Vietnam¡¯s most powerful figures in years, secured the presidency earlier this year after becoming general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 2024.
His trip comes as both countries grapple with an increasingly assertive Chinese presence in the South China Sea, with the Philippines facing frequent confrontations with Chinese vessels and Vietnam navigating growing pressure around its offshore energy and maritime activities.
Hanoi has stepped up maritime patrols and security cooperation with regional partners in recent years, even as it maintains close economic ties with Beijing.
¡°There is no doubt that the Philippines and Vietnam share a common interest in maintaining peace, stability and a rules-based order in our region anchored firmly on international law,¡± Marcos said.
Lam arrived in Manila on Sunday after giving the keynote speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore where he told delegates that military power alone can¡¯t ensure security, and called for the creation of mechanisms to actively prevent conflicts from spiraling.
The Communist Party chief also warned of the creation of a culture where ¡°the big fish swallows the small fish,¡± as he laid out his vision of a regional order in a rare display of foreign policy prescriptions to an international audience of defense chiefs and diplomats.
Lam kicked off his regional trip with a stop in Thailand where the two nations agreed to deepen security and defense ties, as well as cooperation on technology sharing and green energy.
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