Philippines and Vietnam agree to cooperate on the disputed South China Sea as Marcos visits Hanoi
ABC News
The Philippines and Vietnam have signed an agreement on preventing and managing incidents in the disputed South China Sea during Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s visit to Hanoi
HANOI, Vietnam -- The Philippines and Vietnam signed an agreement Tuesday on preventing and managing incidents in the disputed South China Sea during Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s visit to Hanoi.
Several countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam, are locked in maritime disputes with China over its claims of sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea, one of the world’s most crucial waterways for shipping, and high-seas faceoffs between Chinese and Philippine ships have intensified over the past year in the contested waters, fueling fears of a wider conflict.
The Philippines and Vietnam agreed Tuesday to increase coordination on maritime issues and work to promote trust and confidence, the Philippine government said in a statement.
They didn’t release details about what actions they would take under the agreement.
"Vietnam remains the sole strategic partner of the Philippines in the ASEAN region,” Marcos said during a meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart, Vo Van Thuong, referring to the regional grouping of Southeast Asian nations.
