Vietnam, Philippines seal deals on South China Sea security, rice

Marcos Jr and Vietnam's President Vo Van Thuong at a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on Jan 30, 2024. - AFP

HANOI: Vietnam and the Philippines agreed on Tuesday (Jan 30) to boost cooperation among their coastguards and to prevent untoward incidents in the South China Sea, in an announcement during a state visit to Hanoi by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The two countries have competing claims over some parts of the South China Sea, a conduit for US$3 trillion of annual ship-borne trade that China claims almost in its entirety.