QUEZON CITY (PIA) – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh agreed to strengthen the two nations’ ties by developing cooperation on trade and investment and agriculture in its bid to stabilize food supply and recover from the post-pandemic economy.

President Marcos and PM Pham Minh Chinh had a bilateral meeting on the sideline of the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits wherein the Philippine President highlights the importance and contributions of the flourishing trade relations between the two ASEAN nations for the country’s rally to food security. 

Marcos mentioned that the PH and Vietnam already have existing cooperation, particularly on rice trading, but also suggested that this is the best time to go beyond the existing partnership. 

For his part, Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh committed to continuing the good trade promotion and diversifying supply chain systems to the Philippines. 

“When it comes to products that we can afford to provide a long-term strategic supply to the Philippines to continue to try to do so by tasking with the ministries and agencies to work on said matters,” Vietnam PM said.

Recently, during his visit to the United States, Marcos announced that he will lead a “ministerial-level study group” between the Philippines and the US to focus on agricultural cooperation. 

Earlier this year, the Philippines also had talks on agriculture with neighboring nations – Japan and China. 

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between the Philippines’ Agriculture Department and Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries to further the relations and initiatives between the two countries. 

Meanwhile, Marcos started the year with billion-dollar agricultural investment pledges during his visit to China. Part of these pledges was towards improved coconut and food processing, durian production, and the development of alternative green technology for animals and other products. 

Agriculture has been the top priority of the administration. Marcos believes that this sector is the driver to recovery and it is at the forefront of reviving the nation’s post-pandemic economy. (MVMV, PIA-CPSD) 

Photo from Presidential Communications Office