"Vietnam and Philippines Strengthen Security Cooperation in South China Sea"
Vietnam and the Philippines have agreed to enhance cooperation between their coastguards to prevent incidents in the South China Sea during a state visit to Hanoi by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The agreements cover incident prevention and maritime cooperation, potentially risking Beijing's ire. Marcos emphasized the importance of defending sovereignty while seeking peaceful dialogue with China. The visit also saw deals on rice trade, agriculture cooperation, and plans for Vietnam's VinFast electric car unit to establish a business network in the Philippines.