Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Mạnh Cường. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

Ahead of Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm’s official visit to the Philippines from May 31 to June 1, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Mạnh Cường spoke to the press on ties between the Philippines and Việt Nam and the significance of the visit for bilateral relations.

How do you assess notable developments in the Philippines–Việt Nam Strategic Partnership in recent years?

Việt Nam and the Philippines are two Southeast Asian countries with a longstanding friendship and many shared strategic interests in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1976, relations between the two countries have been continuously strengthened and expanded across multiple fields, becoming increasingly profound and substantive.

The establishment of the Strategic Partnership in 2015 marked an important milestone, laying the foundation for promoting comprehensive cooperation in a new phase. In recent years, relations between the Philippines and Việt Nam have maintained positive momentum, notably through growing political trust, expanded economic cooperation and closer coordination on regional and international issues.

Political trust between the two countries has continued to deepen. Both sides have maintained regular high-level visits, exchanges and important bilateral cooperation mechanisms, such as the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation, the Defence Policy Dialogue and the Joint Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Concerns. These mechanisms have helped strengthen strategic exchanges, share perspectives and effectively address issues of mutual concern.

Việt Nam and the Philippines have also coordinated closely at regional and international forums, particularly within ASEAN, the United Nations and other multilateral cooperation mechanisms. Both countries attach importance to ASEAN centrality, uphold multilateralism and international law, and seek to build a united, resilient and sustainably developing Southeast Asia.

Maritime and ocean cooperation continues to be a highlight in bilateral relations. As maritime nations, Việt Nam and the Philippines share an interest in maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea). The two countries have promoted dialogue, cooperation, confidence-building and coordination based on respect for international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In addition, defence and security cooperation has become increasingly substantive. The two sides have expanded delegation exchanges, training, experience sharing and coordination in areas such as maritime security, addressing transnational crime, search and rescue, disaster prevention and response to non-traditional security challenges. These efforts have contributed to strengthening strategic trust and promoting regional stability.

Economically, trade and investment ties have recorded encouraging progress. The Philippines is currently one of Việt Nam’s most important markets within ASEAN, particularly in agriculture and food security. Việt Nam is a major rice supplier to the Philippines, which helps ensure food security for the Philippines while also creating stable export opportunities for Vietnamese agricultural products.

However, compared to the strong political relationship and the potential of the two economies, economic cooperation still holds significant room for stronger development. The two countries have considerable potential to expand cooperation in trade, logistics, high-tech agriculture, the digital economy, renewable energy, fisheries and the marine economy.

People-to-people exchanges, educational cooperation, cultural activities and tourism have also expanded steadily. These activities help strengthen mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries, thus creating a positive social foundation for sustainable and long-term bilateral relations.

How will the visit of Việt Nam’s top leader to the Philippines contribute to strengthening political trust and elevating economic cooperation between the two countries?

Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm’s upcoming visit to the Philippines carries very special significance. It will be the first visit to the Philippines by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, taking place as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and as the Philippines serves as ASEAN Chair in 2026.

The visit demonstrates Việt Nam’s high regard for friendship and cooperation with the Philippines, as well as its commitment to ASEAN and Southeast Asia more broadly. It will also provide an opportunity for senior leaders of both countries to engage in in-depth discussions on major directions to further strengthen and make the Philippines–Việt Nam Strategic Partnership more substantive and effective in the future.

One major expectation for the visit is the better consolidated and deepened political trust between the two countries. Against the backdrop of increasingly complex regional and global developments, strengthening strategic exchanges, maintaining high-level engagement and coordinating stances carry particular importance. This will serve as the foundation for expanding cooperation across all areas.

In particular, the trip is expected to create fresh momentum for economic cooperation to become a more important pillar of bilateral relations. There remains significant room for growth in areas such as trade, investment, logistics, high-tech agriculture, renewable energy, digital transformation and the marine economy.

In agriculture and food security, Việt Nam seeks to remain a trusted partner of the Philippines while expanding cooperation in agricultural and seafood processing, high-tech applications and climate change adaptation. These are areas with practical significance for sustainable development and improving livelihoods in both countries.

Maritime and ocean cooperation will remain an important component of bilateral relations. The two countries share common interests in maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea based on international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS.

At the same time, both sides expect to expand defence and security cooperation, especially in combating transnational crime, maritime security, search and rescue, disaster response and non-traditional security challenges. These are areas of direct importance to the security and development of each country.

Another important aspect is strengthening coordination within ASEAN and multilateral mechanisms. As the Philippines assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026, the two countries are expected to work closely to reinforce ASEAN unity, uphold ASEAN centrality and promote an open, inclusive and rules-based regional structure.

The visit is also expected to promote people-to-people exchanges, cooperation in education, culture, tourism and local-level connectivity. These represent an important social foundation for the sustainable, long-term development of Philippine–Vietnamese ties.

With a strong foundation of friendship, growing political trust and broad cooperation potential, this visit will generate fresh momentum for relations between the Philippines and Việt Nam to develop more strongly, contributing positively to peace, stability and development in the region. — VNS