The Philippine and Vietnamese governments say the agreement will bolster defense, political and economic ties between the two Southeast Asian nations most critical of China's claims over most of the South China Sea
The
Both governments
said the agreement would bolster defense, political and economic ties between
the two Southeast Asian nations most critical of China 's
claims over most of the South China Sea .
"As
strategic partners, we aim to deliver results... a cooperation at the highest
possible level," Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario told
reporters late Wednesday, September 2.
"We will
deepen our cooperation in order to solve all the issues concerning the South China Sea in a most peaceful way in accordance with
international law," Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines Truong Trieu
Duong told reporters.
The deal would
make Vietnam the Philippines ' second "strategic
partner" after Japan ,
with which the Philippines
is also bolstering military ties.
Maiden naval
drills with Japan were held
in quick succession this year and negotiations are underway to transfer
Japanese defence equipment, including anti-submarine reconnaissance aircraft
and radar technology, to the Philippines .
The Philippines is also bound by a mutual defense
treaty with its oldest and most important ally, the United States .
The planned Vietnam deal was announced hours before China paraded large numbers of soldiers, tanks
and missiles on Tiananmen Square in Beijing to
mark the 70th anniversary of Japan 's
defeat in World War II.
Del Rosario said
the Vietnam deal could be
signed on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders'
summit in Manila
in November.
Negotiations for
the strategic partnership agreement started after Vietnamese Prime Minister
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's visit to Manila
last year.
The Philippines , Vietnam
and China have overlapping
claims in the South China Sea – an important
waterway for global trade which is also believed to hold vast oil and gas
reserves.
A United
Nations-backed arbitration body is hearing the Philippines '
petition to declare China 's
sea claims as illegal.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/104660-philippines-vietnam-partnership-deal
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