Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte agreed to coordinate closely in fostering the Viet Nam-Philippines relations across fields during their phone conversation on Monday. 

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Photo: VGP

The phone conversation took place on the occasion of the 45th founding anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two ASEAN member states.

President Duterte affirmed the Philippines always attaches importance to maintaining and developing the fine strategic partnership with Viet Nam, expressing thanks to Viet Nam for having donated medical supplies to help the Philippines fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

PM Pham reiterated that the Philippines is always an important and trusted partner which shares many similarities and strategic interests with Viet Nam.

He pledged that Viet Nam stands ready to provide rice to the Philippines in a stable and long-term manner while asking the Philippine side to further open up its market for Viet Nam’s seasonal vegetables and fruits.

As vaccines are key solution to the COVID-19 pandemic, PM Pham suggested the two countries actively collaborate to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccine supply sources for developing countries, and mull over measures to facilitate movement of goods and medical supplies in the pandemic time.

He noted with pleasure that the bilateral ties have been ceaselessly consolidated and enhanced over the past 45 years.

The two sides agreed to work closely together to effectively realize the action plan for the 2019-2024 period, step up the delegation exchanges and contacts at all levels, deepen security-defense and trade and investment cooperation, and facilitate investment into each other country, among others.

Both sides agreed to expand bilateral cooperation to new areas such as digital transformation, digital economy, e-commerce, and green economy.

On multilateral aspect, the two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation and mutual support at multilateral mechanisms like the UN and ASEAN, coordinate closely in implementing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

They shared the significance of maintaining ASEAN’s solidarity and previously-announced principles on the East Sea, affirming to coordinate in ensuring full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and in accelerating negotiations between ASEAN and China to reach an effective and substantial Code of Conduct in the East Sea in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, thus contributing to peace and stability in the region.

President Duterte took the occasion to invite PM Pham to pay an official visit to the Philippines at a convenient time and the latter accepted the invitation with pleasure./.