Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Enrique A. Manalo. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam always treasures and wishes to stepup the strategic partnership with the Philippines, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhtold Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Enrique A. Manalo during areception in Hanoi on August 2.
PM Chinh expressed his satisfaction with the strong developmentsof bilateral strategic partnership over the past years. Two-way trade hitall-high nearly 8 billion USD last year. Further attention has been paid to maritimecooperation, especially concerning marine ecological environment, maritimeeconomy and illegal fishing prevention.
The PM suggested both sides work closely together to achieve goalsset in the 10th meeting of the Vietnam-PhilippinesJoint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC-10), includingfacilitating the exchange of delegations at all levels, stepping upeconomic-trade ties, considering removing unnecessary barriers,and supporting each other in ensuring food security.
The two countries should strive to achieve 10billion USD in two-way trade and enhance collaboration in other potential areassuch as digital economy, circular economy, green economy, renewable energy,climate change mitigation, maritime issues, marine economy, innovation and start-ups,he said.
The host underlined the importance ofstrengthening national defence and security cooperation, especially in themaritime domain, and expressed support for the early establishment ofadditional legal frameworks for bilateral security collaboration.
Manalo, for his part, described Vietnam as the only strategicpartner of the Philippines in ASEAN with shared similarities and strategicinterests.
Informing the host about the outcomes of the JCBC-10 co-hostedby him and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, he pledged to workclosely with the relevant agencies of the Philippines and Vietnamese partnersto deliver on commitments reached during his visit.
The guest wished that both countries would actively push forwardjoint work in cultural exchange, tourism, education-training andlocality-to-locality connectivity.
He underlined the importance of agriculture cooperation and ricetrade to ensure food security, and agreed to share experience in promisingfields of the two countries’ interest as suggested by the host.
On global and regional issues of shared concern, they vowed to continuesupporting each other, maintaining solidarity and centrality of ASEAN; maintainingpeace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight inthe East Sea; cooperating in settling disputes in the East Sea through peaceful means inaccordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention onthe Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).
Both sides also agreed to fully and effectivelyimplement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and expedite negotiations for a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC),which is in line with international law and UNCLOS 1982./.
