Vietnam’s leader on state visit to boost PH ties
MANILA, Philippines — Vietnamese President To Lam arrived in Manila on Sunday for a two-day state visit that’s seen to boost cooperation with the Philippines on investment, trade and maritime security, especially in the South China Sea.
This is the first visit of Lam, general secretary of the central committee of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party, since he was elected in April.
On Monday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will welcome Lam and his delegation to Malacañang for talks that will also cover food security, education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
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The meeting between the two leaders is a “landmark moment” to further deepen the two countries’ political, defense and economic cooperation, officials said. It comes as Manila and Hanoi mark 50 years of diplomatic relations, which were established in 1976, a year after the Vietnam War.
Bilateral investments
The visit is expected to encourage businesses to ramp up operations and strengthen investment flows in both countries, according to Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro.
Vietnamese companies, including VinFast, GSM, Thaco Auto and FPT Software, have expanded operations in the Philippines. Meanwhile, Philippine firms such as Jollibee Foods Corp., San Miguel Corp., Universal Robina Corp., Acen Corp., and Manila Water Co. Inc. have continued to expand investments in Vietnam.
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Both countries are eyeing fresh opportunities for cooperation in education, culture, sports, and tourism.
Transnational threats
They are also working to build supply chains and promote bilateral investment in sectors such as green economy, digital transformation, and manufacturing, according to Lazaro.
She noted the importance of strengthening cooperation against emerging regional challenges, including online fraud, cybercrime and other transnational threats that require coordinated regional responses.
Lam will lay a wreath at the Rizal Monument in Rizal Park in Manila before proceeding to Malacañang on Monday.
Lam, his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, and the Vietnamese delegation were accorded full arrival honors after they landed at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City at around 12:40 p.m. on Sunday. They were welcomed by officials led by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
Leading trade partner
In an interview with Vietnamese state media, Lazaro expressed confidence that the visit would provide fresh momentum for cooperation between the two countries, particularly in defense and trade.Vietnam is currently the Philippines’ 11th largest trading partner.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has retained strong growth momentum, increasing at an average rate of over 10 percent annually, from $2.92 billion in 2015 to $7.8 billion in 2025.
Vietnamese investment in the Philippines has grown at a rapid pace in recent years, reaching more than $92 million in 2025 alone. Hanoi is also among Manila’s largest rice suppliers, playing a critical role in helping to stabilize domestic rice supply and prices.
Maritime cooperation
The two countries are expected to renew their joint commitment to promoting peace, security, stability and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, where they have overlapping claims along with other countries, including China, which claims it almost in its entirety.
“They are expected to further enhance cooperation in addressing traditional and non-traditional security challenges, while exploring new opportunities in sustainable marine resource management, scientific research and environmental conservation in the maritime sector,” Lazaro said.
The two countries have also formed cooperation at the disputed waterway.
In January 2024, they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on incident prevention in the South China Sea. Seven months later, they also completed their initial joint maritime drills–the first time the Philippines held one with another claimant country. —With a report from Inquirer Research /atm
