The governments of the Philippines and Vietnam announced on Friday they would sign a defense pact that will expand cooperation between the two countries from trade to military and security projects, including “maritime” defense operations.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made the announcement on Friday while receiving Vietnamese Defense Minister Phan Van Giang at the presidential palace, Malacañang Palace, Manila.
The two neighbors have traditionally maintained friendly, if not always cordial, relations that are marred in part by the fact that the Philippines is a democratic ally of the United States and Vietnam is a communist autocracy. But over the past decade, diplomatic ties have improved in the face of mutual threats from communist China, which illegally claims large swaths of both Vietnam and the Philippines' territory in the South China Sea.
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Beijing claims almost all of the sea, including waters that also include sovereign nations such as Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia, as well as the waters off the coast of Natuna, Indonesia.Nine-dash line” would cede the entire island chain from their country and hand it over to China. When pressed about their false claims, Chinese officials falsely state that the territory in question has belonged to China “since ancient times.”
The Philippines took China to international courts and won the case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016. China responded by arguing that it ignores the ruling and regularly engages in belligerent behavior against Philippine and Vietnamese fishermen and other seafarers who sail through its territorial waters.
President Marcos did not explicitly mention China during his meeting with President Fan on Friday, instead emphasizing the diplomatic progress the two countries have made with each other. Notably, in addition to their territorial disputes with China, the Philippines and Vietnam both claim parts of the Spratly Islands, while China claims the entirety of the islands. Both countries appear to have set aside their disputes in the face of a much larger threat from China.
“I think your visit will give us further impetus. [to] The President told General Fan that he would “expand the depth and scope of relations between our two countries,” declaring the arrival of a “very important moment in the history” of relations between the two countries. Philippine Star.
“We are now discussing areas of defense cooperation, security cooperation, maritime cooperation and of course trade,” Marcos said.
Fan reports: said Marcos said Vietnam was pleased with the “very good exchanges” with Manila, “and we believe that the Philippines, as a responsible member of the ASEAN community, will play an even more active and dynamic role and contribute more to the ASEAN community.”
ASEAN, the abbreviation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a regional political bloc.
As of press time, neither side had disclosed details of the defense pact. Star The dispute in the Spratly Islands is largely not an issue of discord for Vietnam and the Philippines, as both countries have agreed to “consult a solution that respects the sovereign claims of both countries,” it reported.
Maritime issues, particularly Chinese attacks on US ships in its waters, appear to be a major concern. Friday's agreement follows joint military drills. Try it! Expanding military cooperation was also discussed at a meeting between the Philippine and Vietnamese coast guards in early August and during President Marcos' visit to Vietnam in January.
Marcos returned to Manila with two key deliverables: an agreement to set up a direct communications hotline with the Vietnamese government and the creation of a Joint Coast Guard Commission.
“The Memorandum of Understanding on Maritime Cooperation aims to enhance understanding, mutual trust and confidence between the two sides,” President Marcos' office said in a statement at the time.
Addressing the situation with China in a statement during his visit to Vietnam, President Marcos said that while “peaceful dialogue” was being considered, the Philippines would “resolutely defend our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction against any provocation.”
Vietnam agreed on Friday after a month of aggressive Chinese diplomacy aimed at winning support for Vietnam's Communist Party leadership and several significant incidents of violence by China against Philippine ships in disputed areas, including the Scarborough Shoal. Most recently, a Chinese vessel was killed on Sunday. Attacked Philippine rescue ships are using water cannons to try to bring food and medicine to the fishermen and drown them.
China State News Global TimesThe Philippine government, which often acts as a mouthpiece for the communist regime, slammed the Philippines on Friday, claiming its opposition to attacks on Philippine aid ships was an “absurd soap opera.”
“The Philippines has truly mastered the art of twisting the truth by stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, escalating the situation, bringing it to the international stage, and labelling China the 'biggest disruptor,'” the state-run propaganda agency charged. “The Philippines' provocative actions in the South China Sea, instigated by the US, will inevitably exacerbate tensions in the region.”
Beijing's stance toward Communist Vietnam has historically been fairly diplomatic, in keeping with the Vietnamese government's priority on relations with Beijing. Vietnamese President Thu Lam stopped in Beijing on August 19 for his first overseas trip since taking office. greeting It criticizes Xi Jinping's dictatorial regime and pledges loyalty to its communist allies. Made The visit was made at the invitation of President Xi. Last week, Lam Cheng Yuet-gah Sent Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is reportedly due to visit President Xi Jinping to discuss trade.
