VGP – Viet Nam stands ready to coordinate with the Philippines against drug, high-tech, cyber, human trafficking, and terrorism crimes, said PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc during his meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in Ha Noi on September 29.

Viet Nam is also ready to cooperate with the Philippines in the domains of maritime security, training, search and rescue, the Vietnamese Government chief added.
PM Phuc suggested that both sides need to foster trade and investment ties commensurate with the two countries’ potential and their strategic partnership.

He said Viet Nam welcomed and pledged to create favorable conditions for Philippine investors to pour investment in agriculture, food processing and tourism in Viet Nam while asking the Philippine side to facilitate Viet Nam’s investment in such fields like infrastructure, oil and gas, mineral exploitation, and service in the Philippines.

Viet Nam also stands ready to be a stable and long-term rice provider of the Philippines, PM Phuc said.

PM Phuc urged the two countries to coordinate closely in enhancing ASEAN solidarity, unity and central role to cope with challenges that may undermine peace, stability and security in the region.

President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his sincere thanks to PM Phuc for the latter’s warm welcome during his two-day visit to Viet Nam.

The Philippine President said when he was young he dreamed to visit Viet Nam as he admired the country’s undaunted spirit to fight for independence and freedom as well its development achievements.

He expressed his wish to further expand and deepen the strategic partnership and sign more trade deals with Viet Nam to make the two countries strong ones in the region.

Regarding President Duterte’s war on drug crime, he hoped that both countries would share intelligence exchange activities.

The two sides underlined the importance of maintaining peace and security, accelerating cooperation in the East Sea, and settling disputes through peaceful measures in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

If a Code of Conduct could be reached in 2017 on the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of ASEAN, it would be a major step forward for the Philippines as the ASEAN Chair and for consolidating peace and stability in the region, said PM Phuc.

PM Phuc and President Duterte agreed to continue mutual support for the Philippines’ chairmanship of ASEAN and Viet Nam’s chairmanship of APEC in 2017./.