Vietnam’s To Lam Embarks on Two-Day Visit to Philippines

(MENAFN) Vietnamese President To Lam launched his first official two-day visit to the Philippines on Sunday, signaling a push to expand bilateral cooperation across trade, security, and regional stability, according to state media reports.

To Lam and his wife, Ngo Phuong Ly, arrived in Manila aboard a Vietnam Airlines flight, where they were received by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., a state-run Philippine news agency reported.

The visit marks the first time a Vietnamese Communist Party leader has traveled to the Philippines.

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is expected to formally welcome To Lam on Monday before the two sides hold bilateral talks covering a wide range of areas, including trade and investment, food security, defense and maritime cooperation, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

Vietnam is currently the Philippines’ only strategic partner in Southeast Asia and ranks among its most important economic and security allies in the region.

The trip comes just weeks after Marcos and Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung agreed during an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit to establish a long-term rice trade mechanism aimed at stabilizing supply.

Vietnam remains one of the Philippines’ key rice suppliers and plays a significant role in supporting domestic price stability and food security.

Both countries are also preparing to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations later this year.

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