Philippines, Vietnam renew defense ties to boost maritime security
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Vietnam agreed to strengthen defence 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, Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos said the partnership has become "increasingly important" as the region navigates uncertainty "marked by geopolitical fragmentation".
The nations renewed a 2010 defence agreement, establishing that both would maintain "delegation exchanges for security and defence 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 organisation 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".
"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 criticised "dangerous manoeuvres by military aircraft" and "ramming and blocking actions in the South China Sea".
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