Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to deepen defense cooperation despite their overlapping claims in the South China Sea, emphasizing that maintaining peace and stability in the contested waters is “non-negotiable.”
The commitment came as Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and visiting Vietnamese President Tô Lâm elevated bilateral ties to an enhanced strategic partnership during high-level talks in Manila.
“As fellow claimant states, we reaffirm that maintaining peace, stability, and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea remains non-negotiable,” Marcos said following the bilateral meeting.
As part of the upgraded relations, the two countries renewed their 2010 defense cooperation agreement and signed a new memorandum of understanding between the Department of National Defense and Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense, which aims to boost collaboration in maritime security, military education, and disaster response.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said this demonstrates that both nations can work together even with overlapping maritime claims.
“Oo, dahil hindi naman nag-aagawan ng parehong teritoryo. Maganda naman yung ating samahan,” Teodoro said, noting the generally positive relationship between Manila and Hanoi.
[Translation: Yes, because we do not claim overlapping territories. Our relationship is good.]
He said both sides share common security concerns in the region, including challenges posed by China’s assertiveness, even if not always explicitly stated.
The South China Sea remains a critical global trade route, with about one-third of maritime commerce passing through it annually. The Philippines, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan have overlapping claims in the resource-rich waters.
Manila and Hanoi have managed differences through diplomacy while advocating adherence to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping “nine-dash line” claim.
Marcos said both nations remain committed to peaceful dispute resolution grounded in international law, reinforcing their shared position that stability in the South China Sea is essential and non-negotiable.
“As fellow claimant states, we reaffirm that maintaining peace, stability, and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea remains non-negotiable,” Marcos said during a joint press briefing with the Vietnamese leader.
