(VOVWORLD) – On Friday, Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro received his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Giang in Manila.
 The conversation between the defense ministries of Vietnam and the Philippines. |
During the discussion after the reception, both ministers stressed their determination to advance cooperation in the field of defense. Both sides would cooperate in tackling non-traditional security challenges and support each other in forums and multilateral mechanisms. Both sides stressed the importance of peace, security, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea. They reiterated their position that all disputes should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Declaration of Intent on the Conduct of the States Parties to the East Sea (DOC) should be implemented in full and a set of rules in this area should be reached as soon as possible.
In the presence of both ministers, protocols were signed to strengthen cooperation in the areas of humanitarian aid and disaster relief at sea, as well as in military medicine.
