(UPDATE) Philippines, Vietnam hold 7th Joint Commission Meeting

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Philippines and Vietnam held their 7th Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) today in Manila, capital of the Philippines.

The meeting was co-chaired by Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a news release.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to cooperate on maritime and ocean issues in the South China Sea and expedite the early conclusion of a regional code of conduct.

They also agreed to explore new areas of cooperation in law enforcement, particularly conclusion of agreements on extradition, mutual legal assistance, and transfer of sentenced persons.

The last round of JCBC was hosted by Vietnam in 2011.