Rody to hold bilateral talks with Vietnamese leaders

HANOI – President Duterte is expected to arrive here this afternoon for his two-day working visit that the government says is an opportunity to “solidify the strategic partnership” between the two countries.

In a pre-departure briefing in Malacañang on Monday, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said Duterte would discuss various areas of bilateral exchanges with Vietnamese leaders, including maritime cooperation, enhancement of law enforcement and defense cooperation, increasing two-way trade and investments, strengthening joint cultural activities, as well heightened exchanges in agriculture and fisheries.

They are also expected to exchange views on regional and international issues, he added.

Last year, the Philippines and Vietnam signed a strategic partnership agreement to strengthen maritime cooperation, at a time when China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea was raising regional concerns.

The Philippines only has a strategic partnership with the United States and Japan.

Duterte’s visit here comes in the wake of his pronouncements that he also intends to be more open to China and Russia though any talks on the maritime dispute will be done in the context of the arbitration won by the Philippines over Beijing last July.

The Philippines and Vietnam have been the most outspoken critics of China’s way of dealing with territorial disputes in the South China Sea, which is claimed in whole or in part by Beijing, Manila, Hanoi, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said China’s nine-dash line that was the basis of its claim over the whole of the South China Sea did not have any legal basis.

The President, who is set to arrive here at 4 p.m. (5 p.m. Manila time) will pay a courtesy call on Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, followed by a state banquet at the International Center tomorrow.

Duterte is also scheduled to meet with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and pay a courtesy call on other top leaders of the Vietnamese government.

Duterte, who has been vocal about his socialist values, will also be received by Nguyen Phu Trong, secretary-general of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The President will also meet with members of the Filipino community at 7:15 p.m.

The trip is part of Duterte’s traditional tour of Association of Southeast Asian Nations as new leader. He went to Laos early this month to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders’ summit and related meetings before proceeding to Jakarta, Indonesia for his first working visit.

The President’s first foreign trip was supposed to be Brunei but it was cancelled due to the Davao City bombing on Sept. 2.

Duterte’s visit here coincides with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The bilateral relations between the Philippines and Vietnam “have been growing and deepening steadily since formal ties were established on July 12, 1976,” the DFA said.

“The President’s visit to Vietnam at this time will add to the various commemorative activities being done by both the Philippines and Vietnam to celebrate this historical milestone,” Jose said.