PH, Vietnam navies reaffirm defense ties amid West PH Sea tensions

Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Q. Ezpeleta, flag officer in command of the Philippine Navy, speaks with Vice Admiral Tran Thanh Nghiem, commander-in-chief of the Vietnam People’s Navy, during a courtesy call on Tuesday at the Navy headquarters in Manila. –Photo courtesy of the Philippine Navy

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine and Vietnamese navies pledged to deepen defense cooperation following a high-level meeting in Manila on Tuesday, strengthening security ties as both countries confront rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

Vietnam People’s Navy commander-in-chief Vice Admiral Tran Thanh Nghiem met Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta at the Navy headquarters, where they reaffirmed commitments to joint activities, humanitarian coordination, and regional maritime security.

“We are maritime neighbors with a short distance from each other,” Nghiem said. “We share common interests, as well as difficulties, which we must address together for peace and stability.”

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The Vietnamese navy chief cited the success of the 8th Philippines–Vietnam Personnel Exchange held at Northeast Cay in July and expressed support for sustaining such activities in the years ahead.

Both navies also highlighted humanitarian cooperation, noting that since 2011, the Philippine Navy has rescued 23 Vietnamese fishermen while Vietnam has saved 60 Filipino fishermen in distress.

Ezpeleta welcomed Vietnam’s continued assistance and said the two navies must find ways to ease “pressures in our waters” while strengthening security collaboration.

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The visit comes as Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines and Vietnam, grapple with China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, which have fueled repeated confrontations with neighboring countries.

Both navies said they aim to expand regular engagements, navy-to-navy talks, and other cooperative activities to help maintain regional peace and stability. /dl