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Helen Flores - The Philippine Star
June 2, 2026 | 12:00am
President Marcos and First Lady Liza Marcos pose with Vietnamese President To Lam and First Lady Ngo Phuong Ly at Malacañang yesterday. A state luncheon was held in honor of the visiting leader. The two countries officially elevated ties to a strategic partnership and affirmed their commitment to a rules-based international order.
Noel Pabalate
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos and Vietnamese President Tô Lâm underscored yesterday the importance of respecting international law and reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
“Today, we elevate our ties to an enhanced strategic partnership, which will be defined by wider pathways for cooperation, stronger political and defense cooperation and closer linkages between the Filipino and Vietnamese peoples,” Marcos said during a joint press conference with the Vietnamese leader at Malacañang.
The Philippines and Vietnam are among the claimant states in the South China Sea, a strategic sea lane through which more than $5 trillion worth of shipments pass annually.
Marcos said both countries “stand resolute in our commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes” based on international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.
For his part, Tô Lâm, who is also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, described the Philippines as an important partner in the region.
“We both reaffirmed the importance of maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; maintaining security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea and addressing disputes via peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 1982 UNCLOS.” — Neil Jayson Servallos, Andrew Ronquillo
