MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he was pushing for a separate code of conduct (COC) on the South China Sea (SCS) with Vietnam.
“We’re pretty much there,” Marcos told reporters of the Malacañang Press Corps on Tuesday at the Meliã Hotel in Hanoi, prior to wrapping up his two-day visit to the socialist country.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines all lay claim to the SCS.
Marcos said the initiative was prompted by an unfinished agreement between the Asean and China seeking a peaceful resolution of disputes over the territory.
“If we can’t finalize the Code of Conduct between Asean and China, I said why not make it bilateral for the meantime among the members of Asean? So that we won’t be wary of possible problems with Vietnam, possible problems with Brunei, possible problems with Malaysia, etcetera,” the President said.
Marcos said he expects the Philippine-Vietnam COC to be completed this year.
“That is part of the memorandum of understanding forged between our two coast guards along with the planned joint cruises, joint exercises. That is what — that’s the effort that we’re trying to do, and we have succeeded in that. Those certain measures here in Vietnam,” he added in Filipino.
Marcos said the Philippines and Vietnam were on good terms, noting the purpose of the bilateral maritime agreement is just to avert any violent confrontation.
“My agreement with Vietnam if anything happens, we would have a clear way of sorting it up to prevent the matter from blowing up. We don’t have any confrontations with Vietnam, as a matter of fact. Despite the fact that we have conflict in territorial waters — about territorial waters, but it has never gone beyond any diplomatic contacts. It has never escalated into something violent. So, it is a bilateral arrangement between the Philippines and Vietnam,” he added.
Vietnamese firms eye expansion in PH
Marcos said on Wednesday that more Vietnamese firms have committed to expanding their operations in the Philippines during his visit to the country.
“In my dialogue with Vietnamese business leaders, they expressed interest in expanding their businesses in the Philippines, as well as exploring cooperation with our business sector in various traditional and non-traditional economic activities,” the President said in a pre-recorded arrival statement.
Marcos particularly mentioned the Vingroup Co., which seeks expanded ventures in artificial intelligence.
The President added the government successfully safeguarded the interests of Filipino businesses operating in Vietnam.
“We have successfully safeguarded the interest of Filipino businesses operating in Vietnam by providing them with the platform to voice their experiences, plans, and challenges at the very highest level. We want to assure them that the Philippine government stands ready to support in their endeavors in competing foreign markets,” Marcos said.
Marcos added that his meeting with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thoung further enhanced Philippine-Vietnam relations.
“We discussed areas of cooperation, including defense, maritime, trade and investment, economics, education, tourism, and culture. We also witnessed the exchange of several agreements, including on rice, agriculture, culture, and maritime cooperation,” he said.
The Philippines and Vietnam established formal diplomatic ties on July 12, 1976, and elevated their relations to a strategic partnership in 2015.
