MANILA — The Philippines and Vietnam elevated their bilateral relationship to an enhanced strategic partnership during Vietnamese President To Lam’s state visit to Manila on June 1, 2026. The two nations signed four agreements, including a renewal of the 2010 Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippines and Vietnam share a common interest in “maintaining peace, stability and a rules-based order in our region.” He stated that the elevation of the partnership “reaffirms Vietnam’s unique and enduring position as the sole strategic partner of the Philippines in Southeast Asia.” Marcos added that the future of the relationship will be “defined by wider pathways for cooperation, stronger political and defense cooperation, and closer linkages between the Filipino and Vietnamese people.”
Vietnamese President To Lam described the Philippines as an “important regional partner of Vietnam.” He stated, “We always wish to work closely with the Philippines to further elevate our strategic partnership to a greater height with ever increasing substance, comprehensiveness and effectiveness.” Marcos and To Lam reaffirmed that “maintaining peace, stability, and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea remains non-negotiable.” Both nations “remain resolute in their commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes grounded firmly in international law,” including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated most of China's South China Sea claims.
The two countries agreed to increase high-level military contacts through joint naval patrols, training, and exercises. They also committed to boosting cooperation between their coast guards and working to prevent incidents in contested waters. The Philippines and Vietnam have worked to resolve their own overlapping claims in the South China Sea. In 2024, the Philippines and Vietnam held their first joint coast guard exercises in the South China Sea. Marcos said the renewed defense MOU would lead to increased collaborations in joint exercises and military education.
The upgrade marks the latest step in a relationship first elevated to a strategic partnership in 2016, largely due to shared concerns about China’s assertive behavior in the South China Sea. The 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Philippines will occur on July 12, 2026. To Lam is the first leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam to make a state visit to the Philippines.