Viet Nam, Philippines determined to elevating bilateral ties to new height

Speaking to the press ahead of the visit slated for May 31-June 1, the Ambassador highlighted the significance of the trip as it takes place on the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations (1976–2026).

The diplomat noted that the visit marks the first official trip to the Philippines by the top leader of the Vietnamese Party and State in the past half century, underscoring Viet Nam's consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralization of foreign relations.

The visit reflects Viet Nam's high regard for the Philippines as a close neighboring partner, while reaffirming the determination to further deepen bilateral relations in a stable, effective and practical manner.

The visit is also expected to strengthen political trust, consolidate key pillars of cooperation and enhance coordination between the two countries in addressing regional and global issues.

Lai stressed that as the Philippines assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026, Viet Nam's support and close coordination will contribute to reinforcing ASEAN unity and centrality, while promoting peace, stability, resilience and prosperity in Southeast Asia and beyond.

The Ambassador said the Viet Nam-Philippines Strategic Partnership has continued to grow positively and comprehensively across politics, defense, security, trade, investment and tourism.

Politically, both countries have maintained regular high-level exchanges through visits and contacts at multilateral forums, helping strengthen trust and cooperation. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's participation at the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu reaffirmed Viet Nam's support for the Philippines as ASEAN Chair in 2026.

In defence and security, the two sides have expanded cooperation through regular dialogue mechanisms, including Defence Policy Dialogue, Navy and Air Force Consultation, and Coast Guard conference. Cooperation has broadened from traditional areas such as training and search and rescue to defence industry, logistics and military medicine. During Defence Minister Phan Van Giang's 2024 visit, both countries signed Letters of Intent on disaster relief and military medical cooperation.

Economic ties have grown strongly, with bilateral trade rising from US$2.92 billion in 2015 to US$7.8 billion in 2025, averaging over 10 percent annual growth. Vietnamese investment in the Philippines reached over US$92 million in 2025, focusing on green transformation, electric taxis and high technology.

Tourism cooperation has also expanded rapidly, with Filipino arrivals to Viet Nam increasing from nearly 111,000 in 2016 to over 482,000 in 2025. In the first four months of 2026, arrivals rose 73.4 percent year-on-year to around 236,000, placing the Philippines among Viet Nam's top 10 tourism source markets. 

Economic growth has been supported by expanded direct flights from carriers including Viet Nam Airlines, Philippine Airlines, VietJet Air, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia.

Looking ahead, the Ambassador said both countries still have substantial untapped potential thanks to their combined population of over 220 million and complementary economies. He expressed confidence that bilateral trade could reach  US$10 billion through improved logistics, maritime connectivity and simpler procedures.

Promising areas for futuer cooperation include food security, smart agriculture, maritime economy, offshore renewable energy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, fintech and digital workforce training, said the diplomat.

He also highlighted opportunities linked to the Philippines' transport modernization and energy transition, particularly for Vietnamese electric vehicle firms such as GSM./.