PHL, Vietnam sign agreement for incident prevention and management in S. China Sea

Pacts on agriculture, maritime security, and cultural cooperation also inked

(Eagle News) — The Philippines and Vietnam on Tuesday, Jan. 30, signed agreements to maintain peace and security in the South China Sea and beyond.

Apart from the Memoranda of Understanding on Incident Prevention and Management in the South China Sea, and between the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) on Maritime Cooperation, signed were MOUs on Cooperation in Agriculture and Related Fields, and for a Cultural Cooperation Program between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Under the MOU on Incident Prevention and Management in the South China Sea, the two nations agreed to enhance coordination in maritime issues bilaterally, within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and with other dialogue partners.

The MOU on Maritime Cooperation, meanwhile, aims to strengthen the understanding, mutual trust, and confidence between the two parties through the development of a Joint Coast Guard Committee that will discuss common issues and interests between the PCG and VCG.

A hotline mechanism shall also be established to facilitate communication between the two coast guards.

The MOU on Rice Trade Cooperation, for its part, creates a framework for rice cooperation between the Philippines and Vietnam to ensure and establish sustainable food supply amidst the impact of climate change, the pandemic, and other events external to both countries.

Under the MOU, Vietnam agreed to a five-year trade commitment to supply, through its private sector, white rice to the Philippine private sector, amounting to 1.5 million to 2 million metric tons (MT) per year at an affordable price.

Both countries are also expected to exchange information on policies, plans and regulations, and other rice-trade related activities.

The MOU on agriculture cooperation, meanwhile, intensifies the tie-up between the two countries in the fields of agriculture, rural development, and other related fields.

Nineteen areas of cooperation including high value crops, livestocks, and aquaculture, farm management and sustainability, smart agriculture and aquaculture technology, research trainings, and exchanges of experts were also identified.

Lastly, through the Cultural Cooperation Program, the Philippines and Vietnam will expand cultural exchanges and strengthen friendly relations in accordance with the Cultural Agreement signed between them in 1998.

President Bongbong Marcos was a on a two-day visit to Vietnam starting Jan. 29.