10-8-2023 (MANILA) President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has emphasized the significance of an agreement on maritime cooperation between the Philippines and Vietnam in addressing the challenges faced in the South China Sea. During a meeting with outgoing Vietnamese Ambassador Hoay Huy Chung, President Marcos underscored the need to enhance bilateral maritime cooperation, as stated in a release by Malacañang on Thursday. The president expressed his anticipation of signing the deal, recognizing its potential to bring stability to the current issues in the region.
In his statement, Marcos emphasized, “Now that we are going to start discussions on the agreement that we have between the Philippines and Vietnam, I think it is a very, very important part of our relationship and it will bring an element of stability to the problems that we are seeing now in the South China Sea.” He further described the forthcoming agreement on maritime cooperation as a significant milestone.
President Marcos also highlighted the strong agreement between Manila and Hanoi, stating that it provides a solid foundation for jointly addressing the “common challenges” related to territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Brunei all assert claims in parts of the sea, which China considers to be its own territory under its expansive “nine-dash line.” However, a 2016 arbitration ruling invalidated Beijing’s claim, stating that the “nine-dash line” lacks a legal basis.
Tensions between the Philippines and China escalated recently when the China Coast Guard obstructed and used water cannons against Philippine vessels on a resupply mission for troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre, preventing one of the charter boats from reaching Ayungin Shoal.
In response to China’s actions, the Philippines summoned Beijing’s envoy Huang Xilian on Monday and lodged a diplomatic protest, condemning China’s “illegal actions.” Since 2020, the Philippine government has issued 445 diplomatic protests regarding China’s presence and activities in the West Philippine Sea, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The forthcoming agreement on maritime cooperation between the Philippines and Vietnam is expected to contribute to regional stability and promote peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea.
