WPS: Philippines, Vietnam renew defense ties to boost maritime security

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Vietnam agreed to strengthen defense ties on Monday to help bolster maritime security in the region and maintain peace in the disputed South China Sea.

The Southeast Asian countries are among the nations in the region — including China — to lay claims to the Spratly chain, which sits near vital shipping lanes and is reputedly rich in minerals.

After a meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart To Lam in Manila, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the partnership has become “increasingly important” as the region navigates uncertainty “marked by geopolitical fragmentation”.

READ: PH, Vietnam expand cooperation on defense, trade, digital transformation

The nations renewed a 2010 defense agreement, establishing that both would maintain “delegation exchanges for security and defense matters”, and step up “information exchange”.

They also agreed to collaborate on law enforcement to prevent transnational crime, including cyber scams, illegal migration, human trafficking, illegal gambling, among other challenges.

Lam said after the meeting that any individual or organization using the “territory of one country to commit sabotaging acts against the other” would also be prevented.

At a joint news conference following the meeting, Marcos said “as fellow claimant states” of the South China Sea both it and Vietnam would also “reaffirm that maintaining peace, stability, and the freedom of navigation and overflight” in the region “remains non-negotiable”.

READ: Vietnam calls off President To Lam’s meeting with Cayetano

“We stand resolute in our commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes grounded firmly in international law,” he said.

It comes just days after China’s military drove away a Dutch navy vessel it accused of “illegally intruding” into the area around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.

The Netherlands insisted that its frigate had been in international waters.

A day before the move, the United States, India, Japan and Australia jointly voiced concern over the South and East China Seas, warning against any assertive moves.

Without referring to China by name, the nations’ foreign ministers criticized “dangerous maneuvers by military aircraft” and “ramming and blocking actions in the South China Sea”. /dl