Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives Philippine Foreign Minister

On the afternoon of August 2, at the Government Office, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique A. Manalo on the occasion of the Minister's official visit to Vietnam and co-chairing the 10th Meeting of the Vietnam-Philippines Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC-10) from August 1-2.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed Minister Manalo's first official visit to Vietnam. The Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and wishes to promote the strategic partnership with the Philippines in an increasingly effective and practical manner. At the same time, the Prime Minister respectfully conveyed his regards to Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr...

Minister Manalo expressed his pleasure in his official visit to Vietnam and thanked Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh for taking the time to receive the delegation; respectfully conveyed the Philippine President's regards to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the senior leaders of Vietnam. The Minister emphasized that Vietnam is the Philippines' only strategic partner in ASEAN and the two countries share many similarities as well as strategic interests.

The Minister informed Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of some outstanding results of the JCBC-10 Meeting, which he and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son co-chaired. The Minister pledged to coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies of the Philippines and Vietnamese partners to effectively implement the new agreements reached during this visit.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his satisfaction with the strong development of the strategic partnership between the two countries, especially appreciating the effective maintenance of high-level contacts and exchanges; effectively promoting existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially the Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation. Total two-way trade turnover has grown remarkably, reaching nearly 8 billion USD in 2022, the highest ever. Maritime cooperation, especially in marine ecological environment, marine economy, and combating illegal fishing, continues to be focused on and effectively promoted.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shared about Vietnam's socio-economic development situation as well as development policies based on three pillars of building socialist democracy, building a socialist rule-of-law state and developing a socialist-oriented market economy; in which the goal of sustainable development and people-centeredness is the consistent goal. In addition, Vietnam persistently pursues an independent and self-reliant foreign policy, being a responsible member of the international community, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

To continue to develop the bilateral relationship strongly in both breadth and depth, the Prime Minister suggested that the two sides maintain close coordination to ensure the progress of implementing the goals set at the 10th JCBC Meeting. In particular, the two sides focus on increasing the exchange of delegations at high and all levels, promoting economic and trade promotion, including rice trade cooperation, considering removing unnecessary barriers and supporting each other to ensure food security, creating a favorable business and investment environment for each other's enterprises.

The two countries strive to soon reach a two-way trade turnover of 10 billion USD and promote cooperation in other potential areas such as digital economy, circular economy, green economy, renewable energy, climate change response, handling of maritime issues, supporting each other in developing the marine economy, innovation, startups, etc.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of strengthening defense and security cooperation, especially maritime cooperation, and supported the early establishment of additional legal frameworks for security cooperation between the two countries. At the same time, the Prime Minister affirmed Vietnam's four-no defense policy.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

Minister Manalo thanked Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh for his comments and affirmed the Philippines' independent and autonomous foreign policy. The Minister emphasized the similar approaches between the two countries in socio-economic development as well as regional and global strategic issues.

The Philippine Foreign Minister expressed his hope that the two countries would actively promote cooperation in cultural exchanges, tourism, education and training, and local connections. The Minister emphasized the importance of agricultural cooperation and rice trade to ensure food security. At the same time, the Minister agreed to strengthen cooperation and share experiences in potential areas that are suitable to the interests of the two countries as mentioned by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern, the two sides agreed to continue supporting each other, maintaining solidarity and the central role of ASEAN, maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, cooperating to resolve disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982); fully and effectively implementing the DOC, speeding up the negotiation process of an effective and substantive COC, in accordance with international law and UNCLOS 1982.

According to VNA/Tin Tuc Newspaper

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