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| Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Meynardo Los Banos Montealegre. (Photo: VNA) |
On this occasion, Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Meynardo Los Banos Montealegre gave an interview to the press about the significance of the visit and the prospects of bilateral relations.
Could the Ambassador share the meaning and purpose of the Philippine President's State visit to Vietnam?
First of all, I would like to convey the gratitude of the Philippine government to the State of Vietnam, especially to President Vo Van Thuong for inviting President Ferdinand Marcos to pay a State visit to Vietnam.
This is a milestone in the Philippines-Vietnam bilateral relationship and will contribute to deepening the relationship between the two countries.
In fact, President Marcos had met with a number of Vietnamese officials, but this was his first state visit to Vietnam.
This visit will help further strengthen the relationship between the President and Vietnam's top leaders.
The visit is of great significance in promoting the friendship and partnership between the two countries, which the President's father - former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. - helped establish in 1976.
Looking back at 48 years of cooperation and development, how does the Ambassador assess the achievements the two countries have made in recent times?
As you know, this year we celebrate the 48th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Philippines and in two years we will celebrate another important milestone, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of relations between the two countries. Before that, the two countries will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership.
Over the past four decades, the partnership and friendly cooperation between Vietnam and the Philippines has developed very well, demonstrated through high-level visits by heads of state and leaders of the two countries, including the upcoming visit of the Philippine President to Vietnam.
Previously, the two countries had many delegation exchanges at the ministerial and official levels. For example, at the 10th Meeting of the Vietnam-Philippines Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation in August 2023, the two sides agreed to effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the Joint Commission on Sea and Ocean Affairs, the Joint Subcommittee on Trade, the Joint Working Group on Agriculture, the Joint Working Group on Fisheries, etc. The two sides agreed to promote the development of an Action Program to implement the Strategic Partnership for the 2025-2030 period; strengthen defense and security cooperation; strive to soon bring two-way trade turnover to 10 billion USD, etc.
The two sides agreed to promote cooperation in other important areas such as agriculture, culture, tourism, education, transportation, science and technology, environment, people-to-people exchange, etc.; agreed to continue to coordinate and support each other at multilateral forums, especially at ASEAN and the United Nations. In general, the two countries have a very positive and good cooperative relationship. We are ready to cooperate closely with the Party, State, Government and people of Vietnam to make long-term contributions to the friendly and cooperative relationship between Vietnam and the Philippines.
What are your expectations for this visit to further promote the Vietnam-Philippines Strategic Partnership?
It can be said that this visit is an important milestone, opening up many opportunities for the two countries to further deepen their strong friendship. Although it is not possible to disclose in advance the agreements that will be reached, these agreements have been actively discussed by various agencies of both sides. And certainly, the two countries will move towards a closer cooperation and partnership, for the benefit of the people of both countries, as well as for peace and prosperity of the region.
Over the years, the two sides have held many consultations on important issues such as politics, economics and people-to-people diplomacy. All of these areas will contribute to promoting stronger bilateral relations in the coming years.
How does the Ambassador assess Vietnam's current position in the region?
Vietnam has made many contributions to the region. The Philippines highly appreciates the great economic achievements that Vietnam achieved in 2023, despite many challenges in the global economy. At the same time, through the diplomatic school with the identity of Vietnam's bamboo tree, Vietnam has maintained strong diplomatic relations at the bilateral, regional and international levels. All of these contribute to affirming the role and protecting Vietnam's interests in the region.
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