Vietnam, PH sign maritime agreements

THE Philippines and Vietnam yesterday signed maritime agreements to manage conflicts and incidents in the South China Sea and to boost the capabilities of each nation’s coast guard.

President Marcos Jr, who is on an state visit to Vietnam, said the “South China Sea remains to be a point of contention” in the region.

The Philippines and Vietnam have overlapping claims in the South China Sea (SCS), together with Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan. China claims almost the entire SCS.

The memorandum of understanding on “Incident and Management in the South China Sea,” and the memorandum of understanding between the Philippine Coast Guard and the Vietnam Coast Guard on Maritime Cooperation were signed yesterday.

“I hope that we can seriously implement this agreement as quickly as we can,” the President said in his speech during a meeting with Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi.

Vietnam expressed interest in pursuing a “Joint Submission on the Extended Continental Shelf” before the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf.

Marcos said the Philippines is willing to work with Vietnam for a joint submission “at the appropriate time.”

The President and Vietnam President Vo Van Thuong witnessed the signing and exchange of agreements between the two countries.

“Vietnam remains the sole strategic partner of the Philippines in the ASEAN region, and I am hopeful that this meeting will provide fresh opportunities to reinforce our bilateral relations with the aim of fostering peace and prosperity between our two countries and in the region,” Marcos said.

The President discussed with the Prime Minister China’s harassment of Philippine fishermen and vessels in the West Philippine Sea in the SCS. He said this happened despite his and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s agreement the two countries should work to enhance comprehensive strategic cooperation.

“We continue to see the undertaking of unilateral and illegal actions that violate our sovereignty, our sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, and exacerbate tensions in the South China Sea,” he said.

The President said the Philippines’ position on the South China Sea remains consistent, clear and firm as it