APEC 2017: Vietnam, Philippines agree to bolster partnership
President Tran Dai Quang and Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte have agreed to roll out measures to promote related mechanisms to implement bilateral agreements and improve effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms to enhance partnership in specific areas.
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| President Tran Dai Quang (R) receives Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte |
They agreed to maintain high-level delegation exchanges, thus reinforcing friendship between the two countries.
President Quang congratulated the Philippines on liberating the southern city of Marawi from terrorists, adding that Vietnam has finalised procedures to offer 200 tonnes of rice as aid to locals in Marawi.
Vietnam is willing to work with the Philippines in issues related to security, anti-terrorism, piracy, hi-tech crimes, drug and human trafficking fight, and cooperation at sea such as search and rescue activities, he stated.
He also proposed that the Philippines strengthen measures to ensure safety for Vietnamese sailors kidnapped in the Philippines, and investigate the case of two Vietnamese fishermen killed and update Vietnam on the results.
President Duterte affirmed his support to Vietnam’s hosting of the APEC Year 2017 and expressed his belief that Vietnam will successfully organise the event.
He thanked the Vietnamese Government for providing rice as aid to locals in Marawi. He vowed to speed up measures to save Vietnamese sailors kidnapped in the Philippines as well as strictly handle the shooting of Vietnamese fishermen.
The Philippine leader lauded Vietnamese investors and tourists to come to his country.
The two sides also concurred to foster solidarity and maintain the central role of the ASEAN in major issues related to security and interest of each member state and the whole region.
Regarding the East Sea matter, both leaders underscored the significance of keeping peace, stability, aviation and maritime safety and security. They agreed to persistently settle disputes through peaceful measures on the foundation of respecting international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), while coordinating closely for the soon reaching of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
