Philippines, Vietnam renew defence ties to boost maritime security

The Philippines and Viet Nam agreed to strengthen defence ties on Monday to help bolster maritime security in the region and maintain peace in the South China Sea.

After a meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart To Lam in Manila, Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos said the partnership has become "increasingly important" as the region navigates uncertainty "marked by geopolitical fragmentation".

The nations renewed a 2010 defence agreement, establishing that both would maintain "delegation exchanges for security and defence matters", and step up "information exchange". They also agreed to collaborate on law enforcement to prevent transnational crime, including cyber scams, illegal migration, human trafficking, and illegal gambling, among other challenges.