Vietnam and the Philippines, on Tuesday (30/1), agreed to increase cooperation between their two coastguards to prevent incidents in the South China Sea, waters that are entirely claimed by Beijing.
The two Southeast Asian countries dispute China's claims to this resource-rich maritime area and a major shipping route. Each country also has tensions with China in this strategic waterway.
The two memorandums of understanding on maritime cooperation were announced during the state visit of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Hanoi and “aims to strengthen understanding, mutual trust and confidence between the two sides,” Marcos' office said in a statement.
The deal includes “prevention of incidents in the South China Sea” and “maritime cooperation” between the two coastguards, a Vietnamese official said at an official ceremony at the country's presidential palace.
Marcos and Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong also agreed to strengthen existing maritime cooperation mechanisms, especially the Joint Commission on Maritime and Maritime Affairs at the deputy ministerial level.
They will also improve communication between coast guard commands and adopt other measures to ensure the safety and security of the two countries' fishermen, as well as peacefully resolve any unexpected incidents at sea, Viet Nam News reported.
The two countries also agreed to increase trade and investment, and signed an important agreement regarding rice.
China's Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment sent by VOA Vietnam. China's state-run People's Daily Online said on Tuesday, “If Vietnam and the Philippines cooperate in certain areas that harm China's interests in the South China Sea, it will only worsen the situation in the South China Sea and raise the risk of higher conflict.”
Ha Hoang Hop, a senior researcher at Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, called the agreement “an important step forward, which affirms the importance of the Philippines and Vietnam to use all peaceful means to respond to China's gray zone strategy.”
Ha was referring to Beijing's activities designed to avoid the threshold of triggering a major conflict. He spoke to VOA Vietnam in a telephone interview on Tuesday.
“China will continue to stoke tensions and abuse the Philippines and Vietnam,” Ha said.
“But these two agreements between the Philippines and Vietnam are fully consistent with international law, namely the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. So, China's reaction will have no effect,” he added.
Marcos expressed concern over the long-running standoff and cited China's increasingly aggressive coast guard in a telephone call with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Tuesday.
Hoang Viet, an expert on South China Sea disputes at Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City, was skeptical when asked whether the agreement meant the two countries were forming a “united front” against China.
“If Vietnam and the Philippines truly create a united front against China, China will find every way to respond firmly,” he told VOA Vietnam in a telephone interview on Tuesday.
“The signing of a memorandum of understanding by both parties alone is not enough to form a united front against China. “Vietnam is also trying to avoid this, because Vietnam does not want to create confrontation with China at this time,” said Hoang. (ns/rd)
Some of the information in this report comes from Reuters and The Associated Press.