PAGSUSUMIKAPAN ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. na palalakasin pa ang kooperasyon ng Pilipinas at Viet Nam sa depensa, seguridad at maritime operations.

Ginawa ni Pangulong Marcos ang pahayag nang mag-courtesy call si Vietnam Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang sa Palasyo ng Malakanyang.

Pinuri ni Pangulong Marcos ang lumalagong relasyon ng dalawang bansa na dati ay nasa lebel lamang ng diplomasya kasama na rin umano rito ang ugnayan sa kalakalan.

Kaugnay nito, umaasa si Pangulong Marcos na ang pag-bisita ng Vietnamese defense chief ay magbibigay-daan para sa pagpapaigting pa ng mga kooperasyon.

”The Philippines and Vietnam have enjoyed good relations and we have continued to progress in those relationships, whereas before comprise only with our diplomatic connection,” pahayag ni Pangulong Marcos.

“We now talk about defense cooperation, security cooperation, maritime cooperation, and certainly, on the area of trade as well. Your visit, I think, will serve as further impetus, further push to increase that – the depth and the range of our relationship,” dagdag ng Pangulo.

Samantala, pinuri naman ni Phan ang navy-to-navy discussions ng dalawang bansa.

Naniniwala ang opisyal na malaki pa ang maitutulong ng Pilipinas sa Asean community bilang isang responsableng miyembro.

“And from our side, we highly value and appreciate the State Visit to Vietnam back in January 2024 and that visit opened up new opportunities to further promote and innovate the strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Philippines in various areas that you just mentioned,” pahayag ni Phan.