A meeting was held in Hanoi on July 11 to mark the 35th anniversary of the founding of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the Philippines (July 12).

President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) Vu Xuan Hong and Philippine Ambassador Jerril G. Santos reviewed the friendship and all-around cooperation between Vietnam and the Philippines since the establishment of diplomatic ties.

The two countries’ senior leaders have exchanged regular visits to discuss measures to expand cooperation in various domains where both sides have strengths.

The VUFO President hailed the growth of two-way trade which surpassed the target of 2 billion USD both countries set for 2010 in 2008. Fruitful results have been recorded in bilateral cooperation in agriculture, science and technology, and education, he said.

The friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations in general and the Philippine people in particular have been enhanced, said Hong.

Both VUFO President Hong and Philippine Ambassador Jerril G. Santos expressed their belief that the two countries’ friendship and comprehensive cooperation will continue to gain bigger achievements, meeting mutual desire and practical interest.

At the function, a photo exhibition on 35 years of Vietnam-Philippine relations and an art programme depicting the Santacruzan festival of the Philippines were also held./.