Metro Manila, Philippines — The Philippines and Vietnam will hold a high-level defense meeting to strengthen ties amid regional security challenges, the Department of National Defense (DND) said on Thursday, Aug. 29.
Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro is set to meet his Vietnamese counterpart, Gen. Phan Van Giang, in Manila on Friday, Aug. 30.
Phan will lead a high-ranking delegation of Vietnamese defense officials from August 29-31. He will also pay a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañan Palace and visit the Philippine Navy headquarters.
“The bilateral meeting between Secretary Teodoro and General Phan at the DND will be followed by the signing of Letters of Intent between the Philippines and Vietnam,” the agency said in a statement.
In a speech on Tuesday, Teodoro said both countries are looking at advancing “defense and military cooperation.”
He expressed optimism for stronger cooperation.
“We can hope to get some agreements signed once clearances are made. And on that basis, we can have a new momentum and impetus for working together on the defense side,” said Teodoro.
Vietnam’s defense ministry said bilateral defense cooperation between Manila and Hanoi “has developed in a practical and effective manner and been expanded in scope to suit the two countries’ concerns in the new situation.”
“The visit aims to continue to enhance cooperative ties, mutual understanding, and orient the acceleration of effective and practical collaboration between the two ministries, thereby strengthening political trust between Vietnam and the Philippines,” the ministry added.
Earlier this year, the Philippines and Vietnam agreed to cooperate on maritime security in the South China Sea during Marcos’ visit.
The two countries signed agreements on “incident prevention in the South China Sea” and “maritime cooperation” among their coastguards.
A Vietnamese coast guard ship arrived in Manila in August for a four-day goodwill visit and joint exercises.
The Philippines and Vietnam are claimants to the South China Sea.
